ACC sensitizes police personnel at the Magburaka division
In its determination to disseminate anti-graft messages to both public and private sector institutions, which is the educational and preventive approach to combating corruption, the Anti-Corruption Commission Northern Regional Office has on Tuesday 21st August, 2012 held customized meeting with personnel of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), Magburaka Division.
Speaking during the engagement at the Police Conference Room in Magburaka, the Operations Officer who deputized the Local Unit Commander (LUC) and also chaired the meeting Inspector Ibrahim D. Kamara, lavished praises on the ACC for the tremendous work they are doing in the country. He maintained that the Commission should be viewed as the friend of all since its vision is to making Sierra Leoneans live better and well meaning lives, which will be impossible where corruption is rife. The Operations Officer furthered that ACC has become a household name because of the serious impact its activities had created on the minds of citizens of the country.
Inspector Kamara implored his colleague officers to listen carefully to the message from ACC staff, as it was very vital to their day-to-day activities. He reiterated that such interactive meetings will go a long way to making the SLP a corrupt free entity. Kamara assured the ACC staff of SLP’s sustained collaboration with the Commission in the destruction of the unwanted pandemic.
Giving the purpose of the engagement, ACC’s District Coordinator Tonkolili Abdulai Saccoh stressed that the ACC was making this move in order to encourage the police personnel join the Commission to denounce corruption. Mr. Saccoh further said, the meeting was to educate all the personnel on the negative effects of graft, the operations of the Commission and enlist their support in the fight.
The ACC Tonkolili Coordinator catalogued the many unfortunate things corruption has caused to Sierra Leone; such as underdevelopment, poverty and deprivation. Mr. Saccoh lamented that people who benefit from corruption are in the minority as to those that are victims. He encouraged his audience to stay clear from corrupt acts for the good of the country.
In his overview of the Commission, Saccoh emphasized that ACC was established in 2000 by an Act of Parliament. In 2008 he went on, the Act of 2000 was repealed and replaced with the 2008 AC Act, which granted greater powers to the Commission, including the prosecution of its cases directly in the court of law. Mr. Saccoh further intimated the police personnel that ACC uses three main strategies to fight corruption; education, prevention and enforcement. He entreated them to join the ACC to fight the battle as it was the people’s war.
Dilating on key corruption crimes as contained in the AC Act 2008, the ACC Regional Manager North Patrick Sandi opined that the SLP and ACC partner in so many areas, but the mandates of the two institutions were different and distinct. Mr. Sandi told the personnel that ACC does not witch hunt anybody or institutions, as some people are made to believe. He also emphasized the point that the Commission remains independent in the discharge of its mandate.
The ACC Regional boss cautioned the officers not to be involved in corrupt practices as the Commission will leave no stone unturned. He informed the policemen and women of the many public concerns, but admonished them to desist from all acts that contravene the AC Act 2008. Mr. Sandi further highlighted some corruption offences such as, soliciting and accepting advantage, peddling influence, possession of unexplained wealth, soliciting and accepting advantage for and on behalf of public officers, accepting advantage to protect offenders from legal proceedings, abuse of office/position, conflict of interest and misappropriation of public funds or property which are pertinent to their diverse roles as officers.
“The SLP is central to the ACC’s success in the fight against corruption in the country, so the Force must be seen to be on top of corruption”, Manager Sandi concluded.
Giving the vote of thanks, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Theodora I. George lauded the ACC for the good move, which according to her was a positive step in the right direction. She assured the ACC that the message will cascade to all police personnel in the Division irrespective of the terrain. ASP George urged the ACC to continue playing the advocacy role for improvement in the conditions of service of Government employees.
Questions and answers, comments and the presentation of ACC educational materials formed part of the engagement.
ACC
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