Presidential aspirant of Sierra Leone’s main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara and four other former members of staff working at the country’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, were yesterday charged to court on various counts of corruption.
It is alleged that all four were culpable in the disappearance of millions of dollars meant for the reconstruction of the country’s Chancery Building in New York.
According to a statement issued by the ACC, Saidu Nallo – Head of Chancery of Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Foday Vahfomba Bawoh – former Financial Attache of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations in New York, Adikalie Foday Suma – former Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations, Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara – former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC), Dr. Kandeh Foday Basil Kamara – Financial Attache of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations in New York, and Jules Sanders Davis – an American Citizen and agent/contractor of the Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on Forty Eight counts of corruption offences bordering on Failure to Comply with Applicable Procedures and Guidelines relating to procurement, the management of funds, contrary to Section 48(2)(b), Misappropriation of Public Funds, contrary to Section 36(1), Abuse of Office, contrary to Section 42(1), Fraudulent Acquisition of a Benefit, contrary to Section 48(1)(a), Knowingly Deceiving a Principal, contrary to Section 40(3), and Conspiracy to commit a Corruption offence, contrary to Section 128, of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12, of 2008 as Amended in 2019 respectively.
SAIDU NALLO and FODAY VAHFOMBA BAWOH are jointly charged with Ten counts of corruption offences involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to Nine Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand, Four Hundred United States Dollars ($947,400).
He is also jointly charged with DR. KANDEH FODAY BASIL KAMARA on Sixteen counts of corruption offences also involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to Six Million, Five Hundred and Thirty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ninety-Eight United States Dollars, and Five Cents ($6,530,798.05.)
Moreover, NALLO is jointly charged with JULES SANDERS DAVIS on Two counts of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence.
FODAY VAHFOMBA BAWOH is separately charged with Ten counts of corruption offences involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, abuse of office, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to One Million, Five Hundred and Ninety-Two Thousand, Two Hundred United States Dollars ($1,592,200), being funds meant for the reconstruction of the Chancery Building in New York.
JULES SANDERS DAVIS, who was awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the Chancery building, is separately charged on One count of fraudulent acquisition of a benefit and One count of knowingly deceiving a principal, as he gave requisitions which contained statements that are defective with the intent to deceive his Principal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
ADIKALIE FODAY SUMA is jointly charged with JULES SANDERS DAVIS on One count of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and separately charged on Two counts of the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds and the tendering of contracts.
SAMURA MATTHEW WILSON KAMARA is charged with One count of deceiving a principal and One count of misappropriation of public funds amounting to Two Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Thousand United States Dollars ($2,560,000) meant for the reconstruction of the Sierra Leone Chancery Building in New York.
All accused persons will be arraigned before Justice Adrian Fisher on the 10th December, 2021.
Last night, Dr Samura Kamara’s office issued this statement in reaction to the ACC indictment:
“The SamuraKamara2023 Communications Bureau confirms that the ACC has today, 25 November 2021, served on its Principal (Dr. Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara) a two-count indictment about the Sierra Leone Chancery Building New York (United States of America).
“Dr. Samura Kamara’s legal representatives are now studying the indictment. We want to reassure the public that Dr. Samura M W Kamara believes in independent and credible institutions. And in his forty years of public service, his unblemished character has never been questioned both at national and international levels.
“We also ask the public to exercise patience and be law abiding. Be rest assured that Dr Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara is in good spirit and looking forward to leading the APC party as the presidential candidate. Dr. Samura Kamara will work very closely with his legal team to continue to clear his Name.”
A few weeks ago, there was commotion on the street of Freetown when Dr Samura Kamara was invited by the ACC for questioning. There was police use of teargass amid protest of Dr Kamara’s innocence.
