By Brima Sannoh
According to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) the former National Revenue Authority Officer, Ms Kepiatu Alghali on the 2nd October, 2019, pleaded guilty to Misappropriation of Public Funds, contrary to Section 36(1), and Conspiracy to Commit a Corruption Offence contrary to Section 128(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12 of 2008, respectively at the High Court Holden in Freetown, presided over by the Hon. Justice Cosmotina Jarret.
Hon. Jarret ordered Ms. Alghali to either pay the sum of Three Hundred Million Leones (Le300,000,000) for both counts, or serve a jail term of three years. She also made a Restitution order in the sum of Two Hundred And Twenty-Seven Million Leones (Le227,000,000). Therefore, Ms. AlghaliL should pay back to the State a total sum of Five Hundred and Twenty-Seven Million Leones (Le527,000,000), following her guilty plea.
Both fine and restitution sums, as ordered by Justice Jarrett, are to be respectively paid not later than the 1st November 2019 and 1st December 2019. Furthermore, she was ordered to surrender her travelling documents to the Acting Master and Registrar of the High Court of Sierra Leone, and bail was accordingly granted.
The public may recall that on 12th September 2019, the ACC filed an indictment against Dr. Sarah Finda Bendu the former Executive Director, Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA), Mr. Victor Labor, former Procurement Manager, SLRSA, and Ms. Alghali, on various counts of corruption charges relating to a corrupt scheme that led to misappropriation of funds at the SLRSA. Whilst Ms. Alghali has pleaded guilty, Dr. Bendu, and Mr. Labor pleaded NOT GUILTY in the same matter and the trial against the latter two will continue.
Bail was also granted to Dr. Bendu and Mr. Victor Labor, and the matter adjourned to the 21st October 2019.
In that regard, the Commission advised all public officers who are in control of public resources to comply with laid down laws and procedures in the handling and disbursement of same. The Commission was represented by CALVIN MANTSEBO Esq, and the accused was represented by Mrs. FATMATA SORIE and I.P. MAMMIE Esq.
