Regional manager north of the Anti-Corruption Commission, ACC has warned a meeting of staff of the country’s roads authority, SLRA in Makeni against possible instances of corruption that were often associated with roads infrastructure.
Patrick Sandi said some of the offences in the ACC Act 2008 have bearing to the work of SLRA staff like “offering, soliciting and accepting bribes, misappropriation of donor funds and property, bid rigging, conflict of interest, using influence for contracts, abuse of office or position and receiving gifts for corrupt purposes,” and called on the meeting to resist, reject and report corruption.
He disclosed that the punishment for any of the offences was a fine of not less than thirty million leones or imprisonment for not less than three years or both fine and prison term.
Public Education Officer, ACC, Al-Hassan Sesay, informed the gathering that such meetings were part of the public education approach to fighting corruption, which also involves education on the dangers of corruption and how corrupt practices in their operations could impact negatively on the development of the country.
But the Acting Chief Regional Engineer, Alpha Kobba, who chaired the meeting, appreciated efforts of ACC in fighting graft and noted that the perception held by most people was that the commission was just out there to investigate. He lauded its efforts at and educational approach to accountability, while pledging, on behalf of his staff, to support the work of the commission.
The ACC boss, Sandi, welcomed the improvement of dialogue at that level and emphasised on the Commission’s core principles of confidentiality and the fullest protection of informants. He read out the free ACC mobile hotlines and explained to them the benefits of making report and the 10% reward to informants, but however warned them against making false report, which he said also constituted an offence.
“We have to be sincere in this fight so that we can lay the foundation for a better Sierra Leone. Let’s continue to stay together and be united because it is only together we can fight corruption” he emphasised.
A staff of SLRA, Sampha Kamara, thanked ACC for enlightening them on the offences and what they must not do, and promised that they would “abide by the warnings and provide the necessary support.”
