The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) wishes to inform the general public that, pursuant to Section 7 (1) (b) of the Anti-Corruption (Amendment Act), 2019 it has entered into a Non-Prosecution Agreement with EMMANUEL SMART, Accounting Officer at the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) and IBRAHIM MUSA BANGURA, Accountant at the Accountant-General’s Department, after recovering the total sum of Four Million, Six Hundred and Fifty-four Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty-eight (New) Leones (Le 4,654,658) from them in cash, and a further 10% interest on the said sum – amounting to Four Hundred and Sixty-five Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixty-five (New) Leones (Le 465,465) in full. It has also imposed a 3-year ban precluding them from holding public office in Sierra Leone with immediate effect.

This follows the Commission’s investigation into the matter involving a staff of SLRA and the Accountant General’s Department, in which over Eight Million Six Hundred Thousand (New) Leones meant as payment for the completion of the construction of the Kenema-Pendembu Highway was criminally diverted by them. The Four Million, Six Hundred and Fifty-four Thousand, Six Hundred and Fifty-eight (New) Leones (Le 4,654,658) represents the total amount that EMMANUEL SMART AND IBRAHIM MUSA BANGURA withdrew from the banking system through the Kabala Community Bank, where they had diverted the funds and shared it before the remaining amount was blocked jointly by Ministry of Finance and the ACC. Both were the two key culprits in the fraudulent and criminal scheme. THEY HAVE PAID THE FULL AMOUNT MISAPPROPRIATED PLUS 10% INTEREST AND ARE AS A RESULT OF THIS BANNED FROM HOLDING ANY PUBLIC OFFICE IN SIERRA LEONE FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE (3) YEARS, PURSUANT TO SECTION 7(1) (b) (i) & (ii) of the Anti-Corruption (Amendment Act), 2019. Their respective offices will, therefore, be notified and must DISMISS them from their respective public service posts immediately.

Meanwhile, five other persons were investigated in the matter –  Jacob T. Sessie - Deputy Director of Budget; John Ellie - Principal Accountant; Philip Yomba – Senior Accountant; Starlyn Kemoh – Accountant; Joseph Johnson - Accountant all of the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant-General’s Department respectively, have been referred to their respective institutions for strong administrative disciplinary action for their respective roles in facilitating the crime or alleged benefit from it. We thank the Ministry of Finance for the referral and their full cooperation throughout the investigation.

The Commission wishes to reassure the general public further that it will not relent in ensuring that public funds and public revenue are protected and, where necessary, recovered in full as prescribed by law with attendant strong consequences for the corrupt.

For further inquiries on this and other ACC matters, please contact Sylvanus Blake, the Public Relations Officer, on +232-78-832131 or via email at info@anticorruption.gov.sl.

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PATRICK SANDI

DIRECTOR, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH