By Abass Jalloh
The fifth Prosecuting Witness (PW5), Sahr Albert Foday Boima, has disclosed the monetary transactions involved between the Government of Sierra Leone and the country’s UN Permanent Mission in New York, over the Chancery building project, involving Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara and five others.
On Monday 6th March 2022, during a hearing at the Freetown High Court No. 1 presided by Justice Adrian Fisher, the PW5 testified that four monetary transactions took place between the two parties.
Using the document “Exhibit AAB 1-29” as instructed by Lawyer C. T. Mansebo, one of the Defense Counsel Lawyers representing the State, the PW5 cited page 11, saying that on the 13th of January 2019, the government of Sierra Leone transferred about eight hundred and sixty-two thousand, three hundred dollars ($ 862,300) to the UN permanent mission.
In the same document on page 17, the PW5 stated that on 6th May 2020, the government transferred four hundred and thirty-five thousand, six hundred and forty-two dollars ($ 435,642) to the mission.
On page 19, the witness added that on the 21st of July 2020, four hundred and thirty-five thousand, five hundred and eighty-three dollars ($ 435,583) was again transferred by the government.
On page 21, the witness went on to state that on the 5th of September 2019, ninety-five thousand, four hundred and twenty-eight dollars ($ 995,428) was also dispatched.
According to Lawyer C. T. Mansebo, this PW5 is an additional witness who was not part of the 15 witnesses provided for the indictment.
Testifying earlier in court about his position and roles at the Bank of Sierra Leone, the witness stated that he is the Assistant Director of the Foreign Operation Division at the bank , noting that he has served in the position for two years having spent 10 years working for the institution.
He said he oversees all receipts and payments on behalf of the government of Sierra Leone and other Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) regarding foreign transfers and advises on foreign reserves management on behalf of the government.
Responding to the process (es) of transfer of funds to foreign missions of Sierra Leone during the chancery building project, the witness said all foreign transactions at the central bank must have authoritative cheques of funds that come from the Accountant-General’s Department.
The matter was later adjourned to 10th June 2022.
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