Amin Kef Sesay
The Anti-Corruption Commission, on 10th February, 2020, filed an indictment against former Revenue Officer, Abubakarr Sidikie Kamara and Mariama Ballah Conteh and Jeneba Sesay, Revenue Officers, Report Processing and Return Payment (RPRP) Department of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), on eight (8) counts of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.
Between March, 2018, and September 2019, Abubakarr Sidikie Kamara, in his then capacity as Revenue Officer in the RPRP Department of the NRA, misappropriated a total sum of three billion, eighty-eight million, eight hundred and seventy-eight thousand, five Leones (Le.3, 088,878,005) of Public Revenue, being Foreign Travel Tax paid by the airliner, Royal Air Moroc, and Foreign Travel Tax, paid by Euro World SL Ltd.
Abubakarr Sidikie Kamara faces four (4) counts of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.
Mariama Ballah Conteh, being Revenue Officer, RPRP Department, NRA, between March and May 2018, misappropriated a total amount of One Billion, Seven Hundred and Twenty-Three Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Nine Thousand, Six Hundred Leones (Le1, 723,859,600) of public revenue, being Foreign Travel Tax paid by Euro World SL Ltd. Mariama Ballah Conteh faces three (3) counts of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.
Jeneba Sesay, being Revenue Officer, RPRP Department, NRA, on 29th March, 2018, misappropriated public revenue amounting to Five Hundred and Seventy Million, Two Hundred and Seven Thousand Leones (Le.570, 207,000.00), being Foreign Travel Tax paid by Euro World SL Ltd. Jeneba Sesay faces one (1) count of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.
All three persons are indicted for misappropriating a total sum of Five Billion, Three Hundred and Eighty-two Million, Nine Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Five Leones (Le.5, 382,944,605) of Public Revenue.
Meanwhile, the indicted persons are expected to appear in the High Court Holden at Freetown on 24th February, 2020. In this light, the Commission wishes to reassure the general public of its unshaken resolve to fight acts of corruption at all levels in Sierra Leone, especially in revenue generating institutions given the fact that they are the lifeblood of States, therefore crucial to State survival.
In another engagement, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday 12th February, 2020, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Assets and Government Property Commission (NAGPC) at its 3 Gloucester Street office in Freetown.
The MoU outlines commitment to joint-engagement and partnership between the two institutions. The move is geared towards facilitating the smooth accomplishment of the mandates of the two institutions in ensuring the best use, monitoring, management and disposal of properties and assets of the Government of Sierra Leone and foster cooperation and collaboration between the two institutions
In his statement, Deputy Commissioner of ACC, Augustine Foday-Ngobie, expressed appreciation for the efforts of public institutions in forging a workable relationship with the ACC. He said that the mandate of the ACC is to provide leadership in the fight against corruption. “The ACC is ready to work with any institution in the fight against corruption,” the ACC Deputy Commissioner said.
Mr. Ngobie described the signing ceremony as another milestone for the two institutions. He said that the ACC has been protecting and recovering government properties, noting that in 2019 the Commission recovered a hotel building which was handed over to the Government. He said the Commission appreciates the partnership, hoping that the two institutions will stand out and work for the good of Sierra Leone.
The Commissioner of NAGPC Abu Hindolo Moseray said his institution has a mandate to establish a National Assets Register, to make provision for the control and identification of all national assets and Government’s property, to provide for the maintenance and improvement of such property and the monitoring of their use or disposal. He said however that the Act that establishes the Commission does not make provision for punitive measures to be taken against defaulters. He said the MoU with the ACC is important because they (the ACC) have the powers to prosecute any person who misuses or misappropriates Government assets and property. He added that as a nation, there is need to do more in managing the assets and property of the State efficiently and effectively.
The ceremony was chaired by Patrick Sandi, Director of Public Education and Outreach ACC, while the citation marking the signing of the MoU was read by Koma Gandy-Williams, ACC’s Assistant Information Officer.
