Ref: ACC/PR/21/032                                                                                                                                  15^th October, 2021

                                                                                                      PRESS RELEASE

ACC SECURES CONVICTION AGAINST DANIEL KAPRI SERRY, MINES COMPLIANCE OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL MINERALS AGENCY

The High Court of Sierra Leone Holden at Freetown, presided over by the HON. JUSTICE COSMOTINA JARRETT, has on Friday 15^th October, 2021, convicted and sentenced DANIEL KAPRI SERRY, a Mines Compliance Officer of the National Minerals Agency (NMA), and of No. 6 Azzolini Highway, Makeni, to pay a fine of FIFTY MILLION LEONES (Le. 50,000,000.00) or SERVE FIVE (5) YEARS IMPRISONMENT, following his conviction on one count of corruption offence.

The HON. JUSTICE COSMOTINA JARRETT convicted DANIEL KAPRI SERRY after he pleaded guilty to Count Three of the charges, Accepting an Advantage, contrary to Section 28 (2)(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12 of 2008 as amended by Act No. 9 of the 2019 Amendment Act. He was ordered to pay a fine of FIFTY MILLION LEONES on or before the 30th November, 2021, or serve a jail term of Five (5) Years.

It could be recalled that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), on the 26^thAugust, 2021, filed an indictment against DANIEL KAPRI SERRY on various corruption offences. According to the particulars of offence, DANIEL KAPRI SERRY, on diverse dates between 1^st and 28^th February 2021, peddled influence and accepted an advantage for himself in order to make use of his influence to obtain a benefit from a public body.Between the said dates, DANIEL KAPRI SERRY, accepted the sums of Five Thousand US Dollars (US$5,000), Two Thousand US Dollars (US$2,000) and Three Hundred US Dollars (US$300) respectively for himself from businessmen CHI CLMENT and SIMPLICE BEDY, in order to make use of his influence to facilitate the release and conveyance to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 15 Kilograms of gold valued at Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand US Dollars (US$350,000). DANIEL KAPRI SERRY also accepted without lawful consideration an IPhone 11 in consideration for him to trace and apprehend one FATMATA BOMPORO SESSAY, a businesswoman involved in the sale of the said 15 Kilograms of gold.

The Commission wishes to reassure the general public of its resolve to fight corruption at all levels and hold public officers accountable while executing their duties.

For further enquiries on this and other ACC matters, please contact MARGARET MURRAY, the Public Relations Officer on +23278832131 or via email info@anticorruption.gov.sl.

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PATRICK SANDI

DIRECTOR, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH