President Koroma orders arrest of corrupt government functionaries, importers, and shippers

President Ernest Bai Koroma today ordered the arrest of National Revenue Authority/Customs personnel who have aided and abetted the defrauding of the State through importers’ false declaration of goods and the clearing of such goods from the Queen Elizabeth II Quay. (Photo: President Ernest Bai Koroma)

Speaking at State House at an emergency meeting of stakeholders similar to the one he had a few weeks back with regards matters of corrupt practices in government institutions, President Koroma said, “Barely a month ago, I addressed a good number of government ministers and institutions about the ineffective manner in which they are implementing the law, and the effects it’s having on the economy and by extension the performance of government.”

The President recalled that he made himself very clear in that meeting that it would not be business as usual and that the purpose of that meeting was to give everybody an opportunity to turn from their old ways “since it has been the normal practice over the years. But we have to put a stop to it. My administration is honest enough and ready enough to put an end to the malpractices going on in these institutions.” He noted that the National Revenue Authority (NRA) and Customs officials were present at the previous meeting, as they were again present today, and would therefore have no excuse for not heeding the earlier warning. With a sheaf of documents before him, President Koroma asserted that, “Today, I have clear evidence of false declaration at Customs. For it to go through, there must have been connivance between the importers, the shipping company and employees at NRA.”

The President went on to disclose the name of a company called Ibrahim Mohsen and Sons of 11 Abacha Street (owned by a Lebanese businessman) which recently declared the importation of 21 containers with the information that 10 of them contained common salt, 9 exercise books and 2 tea bags. While the investigations were going on, some of the containers had already been cleared. However, what was discovered at the end did not at all tally with the information presented, as it was found out that 10 containers had monosodium, 4 corrugated iron sheets, 5 batteries, while 2 had tea bags (the only information in consonance with the original declaration).

The President further narrated that when the Customs Department was alerted with regards the anomaly, a penalty of one billion three hundred million Leones (Le1.3 billion) was imposed on the importer. “Can you imagine the amount of money that the government would have lost? Can you imagine the amount of money the government is losing through these malpractices? What is clear is that our people at NRA have not heeded the warning I made on the 26^th January because they have apparently connived with the importers and the shippers. This so-called importer definitely thinks he is above the law or that he could only pay a penalty, get away with it and continue to take the risk.”

Now, the President declared, that would not continue, and the mere payment of a penalty not enough. He therefore ordered the following:

i)             The full Le 1.3 billion penalty be paid and all the goods forfeited to the State

ii)            All government employees (NRA/ Customs) involved in the transaction should immediately lose their jobs, arrested and charged to court together with the importers and shipping agency for conspiring to defraud the State

iii)           The immediate arrest and detention of Lebanese businessman Ibrahim Mohsen, and in consonance with an agreement government had reached with the Lebanese and Indian leadership in Sierra Leone that no non-national would be deported but if found guilty will have to serve the full jail-term in the country

iv)           The shipping company involved in the transaction to be penalized for providing false declaration, blacklisted, and all its operations stopped until the matter is concluded

Concluding, the President further declared that, “If we have cause to change the entire staff at NRA, then there’s no alternative. The process will continue until we put a stop to this,” stating that if the Commissioner in charge is found wanting, then the law must be applied. “I have included in this meeting the Inspector General of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Office of National Security to ensure that these instructions are carried out immediately and to the fullest… There should be no compromise, and we will accept no apologies.”  The President then asked, “Is it clear to everybody?” to which there was a resounding “Yes Sir”, and he said “Thank you very much” before leaving the meeting room.

Among those present at the meeting were Minister of Information and Communications I.B. Kargbo, Minister of Presidential and Public Affairs Joseph Koroma, Attorney General & Minister of Justice Abdul Serry-Kamal, Acting NRA Director General Haja Kallah-Kamara, Deputy Anti Corruption Commissioner Morlai Buya Kamara, Assistant Inspector General of Police Francis Munu, and ONS senior operatives Abdulai Mustapha and Christopher John.

Separately informing the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, the Director of Public Prosecutions, and ONS senior operatives in his office at State House, President Koroma said the same instructions should be applied to one Tagrin Clearing and Forwarding Company (owned by one John Kumba and assisted by one Ibrahim Kamara with an address at 1 College Road, Cline Town, Freetown) which had declared the importation of one container of medicines, a refrigerator, a freezer, and lemon soda for acute pressure patients using the name of the Ministry of Health, while they actually imported three containers of consumables.

Speaking to the Presidential Press Secretary after the meetings, Inspector General of Police Brima Acha Kamara said he would carry out the orders the moment he left State House.

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