BY: ALIMAMY LAHAI KAMARA

The Anti-Corruption Commission has secured a conviction against a traffic warden attached to the Operational Department of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA), formerly Sierra Leone Road Transport Authority (SLRTA) in a judgment delivered on Monday 1st August, 2016, at the High Court of Freetown by Justice Alusine Sesay. He will be sentenced on Friday 5th August, 2016.

Victorino Fayia Joseph was convicted on two counts of Soliciting an Advantage and Accepting an Advantage contrary to the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.

As provided for in the AC Act 2008, an accused person convicted on a charge relating to Soliciting an Advantage and Accepting an Advantage will be liable to pay a fine not less than Thirty Million Leones (Le.30,000,000) or serve a prison term of not less than three years or suffer both fine and imprisonment.

In one of the particulars of offence, Victorino Fayia Joseph solicited an advantage in the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Leones (Le. 500,000) from Thomas Jalloh with respect to the unclamping of a vehicle.

This matter relates to an instance where a traffic warden will clamp a vehicle and demand cash payment to himself, thereby violating due process and depriving the State of much needed revenue.

Mr. Fayia Joseph solicited payment to himself for the unclamping of a vehicle with a registration number AIB 635 which he had earlier clamped.   The Judge agreed with the prosecution that: “from the totality of the evidence adduced… I am satisfied that the prosecution has proved their case against the accused in both Count 1 and Count 2”.   

According to the Judge, the convict had been very evasive to questions put to him by the prosecution during cross-examination. He said he therefore found his testimony to be incredible.

Counsel for the convict S.T.G. Saquee Esq. was absent in court.

The ACC was represented by Emmanuel Koivaya Amara Esq.

Victorino Fayia Joseph, who was on bail, was remanded in custody.