Ref: ACC/PR/21/010                                                                              26^th February, 2021

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) wishes to inform the general public that the High Court of Sierra Leone, Holden at Bo, presided over by the HON. JUSTICE A.T GANDA, on 25^th February, 2021, convicted BOCKARIE SHEKU MATTIA, Supervisor on Contract with Statistics Sierra Leone’s Bo office on one count of Soliciting an Advantage, contrary to Section 28(2) of the Anti-corruption Act No. 12 of 2008 as amended by the Anti-Corruption Act No.9 of 2019.

The HON. JUSTICE A.T GANDA, convicted BOCKARIE SHEKU MATTIA and ordered him to pay a fine of FIFTY MILLION LEONES (Le: 50,000,000), within a period of ONE MONTH, effective the date of the Judgment; or serve a FIVE- YEAR imprisonment term.

According to the particulars of offence, between 1^st and 3^rd June, 2020, in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone, BOCKARIE SHEKU MATTIA, while on a verification exercise for the World Bank supported Social Safety Net (SSN) program, meant to alleviate poverty from the poorest of Sierra Leoneans, solicited the sum of One Hundred Thousand Leones from a potential beneficiary of the scheme.

The State was represented by N.B.E Davies Esq., while the defendant was represented by K.S. Coomber Esq.

The Commission wishes to further reassure the general public of its relentless commitment to controlling corruption at all levels in Sierra Leone.

For further enquiries on this and other ACC matters, please contact MARGARET MURRAY, the Public Relations Officer on +232-78-83-21-31 or via email info@anticorruption.gov.sl.

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ABUBAKARR TURAYDEPUTY DIRECTOR,
PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH