8th August 2017

By: Abubakarr Turay

A safety corps (formerly known as traffic warden) of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) has been demoted by the Authority following an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The safety corps, Solomon Edward Yarjoh, was investigated by the ACC for allegedly soliciting and accepting bribes contrary to the Anti-Corruption Act 2008.

During the investigation at the ACC, Road Marshall II, Solomon E. Yarjoh, was found wanting for soliciting and accepting an advantage from a motorbike rider in Bo. After cautioning him, the ACC referred the matter to the SLRSA for administrative action, which saw the institution also conducting an independent investigation. Subsequently, Yarjoh was demoted to Road Marshall and his suspension, which started in December last year, was extended to a further three month period without pay.

Meanwhile, the ACC has cautioned safety corps Abu Mansaray, who admitted in an ACC interview that he solicited and accepted fifty thousand leones each from three motorbike riders whom he arrested for various traffic offences.

The Anti-Corruption Act 2008 gives ACC the discretion in appropriate circumstances to opt for other punitive measures other than prosecution. The Commission applies this discretion by cautioning first time offenders who commit petty acts of corruption and admit commission of the crime during the investigation.