By Politico Staff Writer
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has in a press statement presented findings of their investigations into alleged fake academic credentials of officials of the National Telecommunication Commission (NATCOM)
According to the release dated 5th August 2022, the commission launched an investigation into the degrees, certificates, and other academic credentials of the Director of Administration and Human Resource of NATCOM, Braima Ronnie Kargbo, and other staff, following allegations that they submitted fake academic credentials to attain their respective positions to the Commission.
In relation to Braima Ronnie Kargbo, the ACC’s investigations are said to continue on the other credentials he attained overseas but concluded investigations into the alleged minimum qualification he attained at the then Njala University College.
The statement noted that ACC’s investigators interviewed the Registrar of both the University of Sierra Leone and the Registrar of Njala University and many other interested persons, including the retired Professor who supervised his Dissertation and his former classmates.
ACC confirmed that they found progressive grades record of Braima Ronnie Kargbo that bears the name ‘Braima Kargbo’ from the first year (1992) to final Year (1999). He was said to have pursued a Degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture General in the Second Division, with Distinction in Project which was awarded to him in 1999 with the name Briama Kargbo.
The investigators noted that they saw a cumulative transcript that was issued in 2002 which contains a student name ‘Braima Ronnie Kargbo’ with grades and student Identification Number (ID) 5334 of a student who studied for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture General from 1992 to 1999, but there was no continuous record for the name ‘Braima Ronnie Kargbo’ at the University student archives. The investigators noted that they couldn’t either see any document or any explanation that proved a change of name from ‘Braima Kargbo’ to ‘Brima Ronnie Kargbo’.
The ACC pointed out that, there are anomalies on a clear spelling error on the certificate which has not been corrected to date and neither the Njala University nor the Braima Ronnie Kargbo could adequately clarify. The release also stated that there is evidence to show that one Braima Kargbo attended and/or completed his studies for a BSc Degree in Agriculture General, at Njala University College.
The investigators noted to have retrieved a copy of his Dissertation he obtained from the University and also saw his graduation photographs as evidence of graduation from Njala University College.
However, the investigators stated that the University cannot trace and provide the Matriculation Booklet/Register of 1992 signed by students upon their enrollment into the college because of their displacement and return due to war, which they said blurred the clarity of the evidence trail.
“The above findings and limitations have blurred the clarity of the evidence trail to such an extent that it is difficult to conclude that the Braima Kargbo that was awarded the BSc Degree in Agriculture General with Distinction in project at Njala University in 1999 is not the same Braima Ronnie Kargbo at NATCOM,” the statement reads.
With regard to the investigations on Adeyemi Leroy Coker, the ACC urged NATCOM to administratively do the needful if he was employed or promoted on the presentation of his AGU Degree/ Certificates as they have been said to be null and void by the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC).
The ACC’s investigators asserted that there are no set academic qualifications regarding the position of Robert Kondema Kargbo’s appointment as Commissioner of NATCOM (Representing Civil Society).
He was however said to possess a Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies from Milton Margai College of Education and denied presenting African Graduate University documents for Parliamentary vetting which the investigators said, Parliament did not provide to them as evidence to dispute that claim.
The ACC was established in the year 2000 as an independent institution to lead in the fight against graft and control corruption through prevention, investigation, prosecution, and public outreach.
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