By Jenneh Braima
Sierra Leone’s anti-graft agency has charged seventeen people who it says will soon be arraigned before a High Court in Freetown for corruption offences.
At a press conference the Anti Corruption Commissioner, Joseph Kamara read out the charges which include the misappropriation of public finds, fraudulent reduction of customs charges, corrupt transaction with agents and bribery.
The 17 people from the National Revenue Authority (NRA), ECOBANK and Clearing and Forwarding Agencies were alleged to have misappropriated through corrupt activities approximated at Le700 million.
He said it would be impossible to promote the health care delivery system in the country if one man were to allegedly defraud the country of a huge quantum of money, leaving it hopeless.
Kamara commended the NRA and the police for helping them with their investigations, but noted that the disappearance of some documents at the Sierra Leone Road Transport Authority to certify ownership of vehicles posed a serious challenge to pending investigations.
He warned those inclined to destroying or causing the disappearance of such “valuable documents” saying they risked being prosecuted.
The 17 persons charged by the Commission are Abraham B. Lavally (NRA), Solomon Hindowa Katta (NRA), Inah James (NRA), Adetunji Desmond Cole (NRA), Bakie Minah (NRA), Everton Faulkner (NRA), Abu Bakarr Kamara (NRA), Idrissa Fornah alias Orkala (NRA), Elizabeth King (NRA), Ishmail Dainkeh (ECO Bank), Isata Osaio Kamara (ECO Bank), Sharka Kpanabum (ECO Bank), Momoh Turay (ECO Bank), Emmanuel Sesay (ECO Bank), Catherine Katta (ECO Bank), Santigie Kargbo (Clearing and Forwarding Agency), (Abdul Mutalid Kamara (Clearing and Forwarding Agency).
