Jacob Tenga 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 exonerated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) following conclusion into an alleged misappropriation of millions of New Leones.

According to a press release from the corruption fighting institution dated 16^th February 2024, the ACC has imposed a 10% interest on recovery of 4.6 Million New Leones from Emmanuel Smart, Accounting Officer at SLRA, and Ibrahim Musa Bangura, Accountant at the Accountant General’s Department, and bans both from holding public office in Sierra Leone for a minimum of 3 years with immediate effect.

“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,” the press release stated.

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.

The Anti-Corruption Commission disclosed that both Emmanuel Smart and Ibrahim Musa Bangura, the two key culprits in the ‘fraudulent and criminal scheme’ 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.The press released continued that 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 Tenga 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. The ACC referred them to their respective institutions for “strong administrative disciplinary action for their respective roles in facilitating the crime or alleged benefit from it”.

It is good news to hear about the exoneration of five hardworking Sierra Leoneans guys that are committed to serving their Nation be cleared from criminal action to now referring them to their respective offices to take strong administrative actions against them while on duty or before they report to job.

The question that may sound in the minds of many Sierra Leoneans is “strong administrative disciplinary action for their respective roles in facilitating the crime or alleged benefit from it”. What does that mean to Sierra Leoneans? The ACC or the Ministry of Finance should come out to clearly explain to the Public what it means for better understanding.

However, the ACC has thoroughly investigated the matter and conclusively exonerated the five officials working at the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General’s Department respectively. The ACC is now calling on their respective institutions or authorities to reinstate these five officials to their respective roles with administrative disciplinary action.

It is no longer a secret that the ACC has not found them wanting and therefore, the authorities must now be seen celebrating them for their non-involvement in the criminal act alleged against them as young professionals with brighter future.

More importantly is the fact that, the ACC throughout its investigation brought to book only two individuals that were found wanting. These two individuals have since repaid government funds they divert or embezzled for their personal gain.

Now that they have been exonerated; let the authorities do the needful by not only taking administrative actions against them but also administrative measures to avoid future occurrence!

This means, the ACC as an Institution of Integrity and the rule of law showed that no one is above the law – not even the Commissioner! No one is above suspicion – not even those investigated!

The ACC in its press release thanked the Ministry of Finance for the referral and for the full cooperation of those that were investigated.