Bias ACC Ignores Edmund & Cohorts
Anti Corruption’s wretched exoneration of Sierra Leone’s Financial Secretary and three others speak ‘biases’ of an institution charged to transmit and prevent the occurrence of corruption in society.
Recently, Edmund Koroma, Gibril Saccoh, Ibrahim Bah and Mamoud Idris, had their names published by officials of the Anti Corruption Commission, compelling them make repayment of the sum of Le 2 billion on account of the purchase of two rotten ferries for the National Social Security Trust (NASSIT).
It must be summed up that Edmund Koroma, while acting in the capacity as NASSIT’s Director General, directed the purchase of two rotten ferries at a cost amounting to billions of Leones.
The two ferries were later conveyed to Freetown and up until now have never ever functioned and will never ever at all.
Public concern amplifies government’s outright call for an investigation on the conduct of the purchase.
The ACC was however urged to investigate and prosecute persons found wanting.
After wasteful and dawdling investigative findings, the ACC recently came out with a decision to have Edmund Koroma and others make repayment of Le 2 billion for flouting procurement rules, yet keeps on indicting others for offences same as and equal to NASSIT’s own.
Edmund Koroma, Gibril Saccoh, Ibrahim Bah and Mamoud Idris were each asked to pay Le 500 million.
Baffling most was the fact that officials of the ACC did establish that Edmund Koroma disrespectfully flouted procurement regulations, but ignored indicting him and others to the high court to answer to corruption allegations.
It is glaring though that state Ministers, on number of occasions, have been dismissed and made to face court charges for merely flouting procurement rules.
In the report submitted by ACC, it is stated that Edmund Koroma never took the issue of the purchase of two rotten ferries to the procurement unit or committee for processing, and did not give consideration to the application of procurement procedures.
It is a fact that Edmund Koroma and others had prior knowledge that the vessels were old, archaic and outdated, but negotiated with its owner for purchase, on the basis that they will receive kickbacks- corruption to the highest degree.
Sources say the vessels were purchased at prices far below the officially mentioned ones.
ACC’s refusal to indict Edmund Koroma and others is looked at as having the aroma of political interferences.
It is also disclosed that Edmund Koroma is related to the President and for that sake; he enjoys the sacred cow inclination.
In statements of NASSIT’s procurement officers, it is mentioned clear that Edmund Koromo, for reasons best known to him, did not tolerate contributions of procurement officers at all.
The fear in minds of Sierra Leoneans is that Edmund Koroma’s retention in office as ‘Financial Secretary’ has the propensity of putting states financial transactions into serious and unavoidable risks.
It is presumed he might neglectfully or willfully go into wrong financial deals, just as he did in the NASSIT’s vessels arrangement.
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