LEGAL PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT PROVIDES UPDATES
By: Joseph G. Bangali, Senior Reporter
At the weekly Press briefing held at the Ministry of Information and Communication conference hall at Youyi building on Thursday, March 11, 2021, the Principal Legal Consultant in charge of the implementation of the Commission of Inquiry White Paper, Mr. Lahai Momoh Farma informed members of the fourth estate that an additional 11 appeal cases have been processed at the high court of Sierra Leone bringing the total number of adjudicated cases to 31. He further stated that government in due course would confiscate 31 properties. The Consultant claimed that there are a further 111 appeal cases pending with just seven already concluded.
He reminded the audience that the commission of inquiry is owned by the people of Sierra Leone as its primary objective is to recover funds that were meant for the development of the country that have been misappropriated. This, he continued is the reason why there has been no political interference from the President or his immediate boss, the Attorney General. However, the COI secretariat would work with the Ministry of Information and Communication to publish relevant notices of properties confiscated, and monies recovered for public consumption. All confiscated properties would be handed over to the government to decide its use. One such property recovered in Portloko has now been handed over to the DICOVERC and is currently being utilized.
Mr. Momoh Farma, the Legal Consultant clarified that the Judiciary of Sierra Leone is completely independent from the Law Officer’s Department and that they go through the same scrutiny as other law firms when it comes to processing cases. This is the reason why when judgments are issued, the law department goes through a process of enforcement directed by the judiciary. The courts provide both the under-sheriff and security personnel required to enforce these verdicts.
He assured the public that most persons named in the COI have started paying back monies owed and some have setup payment plans with the secretariat. According to him, names of persons losing their appeals will not be published but that they will ensure that the last cent is recovered. He admonished journalists to be present at these trials so that they can accurately inform the public and keep abreast of the happenings in the COI secretariat.
When asked if the large number of appeals and the slow manner in which they were being adjudicated was a challenge for the secretariat, he answered in the negative. According to him, this is the first time in the history of Sierra Leone that recommendations from a commission of inquiry are allowed to go through an appeals process. This is to ensure that the accused are given a fair opportunity to defend themselves and make sure that the process is transparent. Decisions on what to do with properties confiscated are new to the government and so extensive consultations would be held regarding these. He concluded by tribute to three senior journalists who recently lost their lives, Christo Johnson, Alpha Amadu Bah and Peter Sam.