By Foday Moriba Conteh
The Ministry of Justice has given an update on the implementation of Commission of Inquiry recommendations during a Press briefing. The Ministry categorically stated that they will confiscate all properties belonging to Persons of Interest as ruling already delivered in Fifteen (15) out of the first 20 Cases involving houses and land.
Justice Lahai Momoh Farma, who happens to be the Principal Legal Consultant in the Attorney General and Minister of Justice office, said the deadline period was December 24th 2020, for all those that were indicted in the Commission of Inquiry reports by the three (3) Judges.
He said documents of 20 order that was taken to court are presently with the Master and Registrar for final approval and onward submission to Government printer gazetting adding that immediately the document is gazetted they will announce all the names and location of the confiscated properties for the public to know.
Justice Lahai Momoh Farma furthered said if anyone of the 85 appellants win the appeal against the Government all what was taken from them will be returned. But if on the other hand any appellants lose the appeal to the Government they will forfeit everything and same way so pay interest on the principal they are supposed to pay plus cost.
He urged all the 136 Persons of Interest found wanting by the Commission of Inquiry to fully adhere or face the full force of the law saying the Government of Sierra Leone will use all peaceful or aggressive means to recover all the stolen monies from the Commission of inquiry reports.
The Principal Legal Consultant said the bank accounts of all persons of interest had been frozen, except for those who have been given clearance to access their monies.
He said if it for any means it causes the Ministry of Justice to take monies in Persons of Interest bank accounts to repay their loot they will do it, and if on the other hand the monies are not enough or commensurate to what they looted they will definitely confiscate properties belonging to them and sell until they fully repay the loot.
