Failed SLPP Govt Passes Buck Again by Sharing the $US3.6M New York Mission Scam with APC
By Abu Shaw in London (01/06/2021)
The inability to take total responsibility for actions executed under the SLPP tenure is one of Hercules’ Heels of the inept and corrupt SLPP government.
President Julius Maada Bio, the Architect-In-Chief of dodgy, deceptive, corrupt, and fabricating governance, has done it again in the ongoing court threat hanging over the Sierra Leone Chancery Mission in New York. The United States government has given 60 days ultimatum to the Sierra Leone Mission to respond to the renovation of the dilapidated and sordid Sierra Leone United Nations Mission in New York. (Photo: Sierra Leone UN Mission in New York is in a deplorable state).
As always, the SLPP government, instead of resolving problems head-on, is rather dragging the main opposition APC party in the mud with them. The latest press statement from the SLPP-led Anti-Corruption Commission ACC headed by SLPP puppet Chairman Mr Francis Ben Kaifala points in this direction i.e. the wrong direction. The biased ACC has stupidly backdated the renovation of the New York Mission to 2011 to share the blame with the APC party. It means the problem, according to the SLPP government, started in 2011 under the presidency of Ernest Bai Koroma of the last APC government and continued until 2019, a year and a half after President Bio occupied State House.
But this is not the case according to the revelations made by the respectable Africanist Press. This is one of the deceptions often associated with President Bio i.e. to lie on oath in order to avoid taking full responsibility on pertinent issues. In actual fact, the New York Mission scandal started in 2019, under the watchful eyes of the failed President Bio and Mr Alie Kabba who was recently transferred from the UN as Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to Egypt as an Ambassador. Is Alie Kabba’s transfer has to do with the missing millions for the renovation? What a coincidence!
Documentary evidence produced by the reputable Africanist Press clearly exposed the SLPP government fabrications regarding the 2011 to 2019 dates as stated by the ACC. “We will not allow the corrupt SLPP government through the ACC to pass the buck this time. President Bio and his thieving caboodle must give an account of the missing millions of US dollars for the refurbishment of the Mission,” Sierra Leoneans in the Diaspora noted in disgust. (Photos: ACC Chairman Francis Kaifala flanked by the former First Lady Sia Koroma, left, and Fatima Bio. And the Africanist Press editor Mr Chernoh Bah, right).
Reminiscences are the best barometers to judge past instances. Sierra Leoneans still remember last year when the revered Africanist Press unearthed the financial malpractices in the Office of the First Lady Fatima Jabbe Bio, in the Office of the then Chief Minister Dr David Francis, and the Office of the President. Local and international donations amounting to millions of US dollars meant for the ‘Hand Off Our Girls’ campaign and other local projects championed by Mrs Fatima Bio disappeared into thin air up to this day. No arrest has been made since.
Fatima Bio’s corruption scandal was uncovered by the Africanist Press and as calls for immediate investigations into the matter got louder, the SLPP-controlled ACC chaired by President Bio’s stooge Francis Kaifala reluctantly agreed to launch a probe. Unsurprisingly, the ACC started playing hanky-panky games with the integrity of citizens. Francis Kaifala had the audacity to backdate the investigation from 2014 to date, meaning, the SLPP government tried to pass the buck to the last APC government by blaming the former First Lady Mrs Sia Nyama Koroma. Since then, after the outcry, nothing tangible has been heard so far from the corrupt ACC.
Mr Francis Kaifala is not known for biting the fingers that feed him. The unprofessional ACC boss is only interested in investigating officials of the last APC government on corruption allegations as instructed by the President. Strong SLPP officials who served under the last APC government of President Koroma like the current Chief Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa, the Financial Secretary Lahai Sahr Jusu, the Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Lahai Lawrence Leema, etc, were however never probed by the ACC despite the corruption allegations on their persons. Mr Francis Kaifala has exhibited impartiality on an astronomical scale!
To put the records straight again, and to expose the continuous fabrications bandied around by the ACC Chairman and by extension the SLPP government, following is the correct version of the costs and the dates surrounding the renovation of the Sierra Leone UN Mission in New York as published by the Africanist Press. (Photo: The proof of the pudding is in the eating) as the Africanist Press unearths below –
Transaction Details Show that Over US$3.6 Million was Transferred in 2019 Alone to Renovate Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission Building in New York
Documents obtained by the Africanist Press, including evidence of wire transfers and other banking transactions, show that over US$3.6 million was transferred between 27th May 2019 and 5th September 2019, for the renovation of Sierra Leone’s diplomatic mission to the United Nations in New York, but no substantial work was done on the renovations.
These transfers, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, does not include monies transferred to New York for the same purposes from other agencies and multilateral partners in 2019 and 2020 as well. We hereby publish the transaction details to show readers the evidence of the amounts transferred in 2019 alone from Freetown to New York. Stay tuned to the #AfricanistPress for more details on this story. For more information visit: www.africanistpress.com
The United States Southern District Court of New York Confirms Service of Notice of Motion to Sierra Leone’s Foreign Ministry
Clerk of the United States Southern District Court of New York, Ruby J Krajick has today Thursday, May 27, 2021, confirmed service of the notice of motion against the Permanent Mission of Sierra Leone to the United Nations in New York to Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, David Francis.
The Sierra Leone government has 60 days to file a response to the notice of motion, failing which a judgement in default will be entered against its Sierra Leone Mission in New York. The service was delivered by the United States-based Federal Express (FEDEX) mailing service with tracking number: 8108-3983-3650. We hereby publish the certificate of service filed with the relevant court on May 27, 2021. Stay tuned to #AfricanistPress for more updates on this developing story. www.Africanistpress.com (Photos: Alie Kabba and President Bio, right, need to explain about the missing millions).
Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Commission ACC Responds by Detaining the Head of Chancery, Others as Investigations Continue
ACC Commences Investigation into Corruption Allegations Relating to the Renovation of the Sierra Leone Chancery Building in New York, US, according to a press release by the ACC dated May 29, 2021. The Anti-Corruption Commission ACC wishes to inform the general public that its attention had been drawn to allegations of grand corruption with regard to the renovation and/or reconstruction of the Sierra Leone Chancery Building in Manhattan New York US involving over four million US dollars transferred for that purpose since 2011 to 2019.
The Commission wishes it to be known that it had commenced forensic and comprehensive investigations into the allegations and that the Head of Chancery and other persons of interest to the management of the finances of the Chancery have been recalled to post, to assist with the speedy investigation and conclusion of the investigations, statements are being taken from them and have been kept in custody since Friday, 29th May 2021. We have also recovered documents and records relevant to the investigation and they are being analysed by our forensic analysts. The public will be promptly informed of progress made with the investigations.
In this regard, the Commission wishes to reassure the public of its commitment to pursue corruption anywhere and to address all levels of corruption throughout Sierra Leone. For further enquiries on them and other ACC matters please contact Magaret Murray, Public Relations Officers on 00232-78832131, or via email infoanticorruption.gov.sl. It was signed by Patrick Sandi, Director of Public Office, and Outreach.
