By Francis H. Murray
The lawyer representing the former Vice President of Sierra Leone Victor Bockarie Foh in the 2017 hajj case has cross-examined Sheka Sahid Kamara before Justice Reginald Fynn in Freetown in the ongoing trial on an eight-count indictment of corruption and related offenses.
Under cross-examination by lawyer Hindolo M. Ngevao, the first accused said he was the Special Assistant on Social Issues to former President Ernest Bia Koroma in 2017 and was later made Secretary to the 2017 Hajj Committee in a meeting with the former president.
He said as Secretary to the committee, he reported directly to the president on a case by case basis on the committee, adding that no money mount was left behind by the Hajj Committee as all monies budgeted and approved were expended.
The witness said that an amount of $ 220,000 was ordered to be given to one Alhaji M. S. Kargbo on the directives of the second accused, Victor Bockarie Foh, which he said wasn’t meant to be spent on a specific activity, but the money was to be used on a daily basis as it became necessary.
Asked whether he received a letter from the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Welfare to disapprove of him carrying the sum of $314,000 to Saudi Arabia in cash, the witness said he received no such letter.
Kamara said $5,000 was given to one Nurudeen Sankoh Yilla who traveled with the first group of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to be used in case of any emergencies.
When challenged that he withdrew the sum of $314,000 on the 16th August 2017, supposedly meant to be used to settle hotel bills, the witness admitted withdrawing the money from the Hajj foreign account on the 16th August 2017 to be spent on students and Sierra Leonean nationals who were helping with the process and on medicals.
Lawyer Ngevao also told the court that it was not stated anywhere in the witness’ statement to the ACC that the withdrawal of $4,275 to be expended was in consultation with the other members of the Hajj committee.
He argued that the witness didn’t tell the ACC the truth when he said he left the shores of Sierra Leone on the 19th August 2017 for Saudi Arabia, when in actual fact, he left on the 18th, but the witness confirmed to have travelled on the 18th adding that the difference in dates may have been a mistake on the part of the ACC.
Stressing that he had personally delivered the sum of $80, 000 and Le45, 000,000 to the 2nd accused on the 18th August 2017, lawyer Ngevao argued that the witness did not tell the ACC about the said delivery, which conflicted with the new date of 17th August when, according to him, the delivery was done.
The witness also denied withdrawing the total sum of $376,526 on the 16th of August form the Hajj foreign account, saying that a certain amount was donated by the African Muslim Agency in the presence of the then President and the 2nd accused, which was in turn handed over to him to be paid into the Hajj account.
But lawyer Ngevao argued that on the date in question, the intending pilgrims had received their visas.
The prosecution alleges that Sheka Sahid Kamara, Victor Bockarie Foh, Minkailu Mansaray, Mohamed Alie Bah, Ibrahim Farkeh Conteh and Abu Bakkar Carew on diverse dates between 1st January 2017 and the 30th September 2017, in Freetown, conspired with other persons unknown to commit a corruption offense - misappropriating public funds meant for the purpose of organizing the 2017 pilgrimage to Mecca. The matter continues today.
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