By Alpha Abu
Thirty – one assets that were the subject of investigations at the Commissions of Inquiry set up by the government of Sierra Leone and have gone through the judicial process are now awaiting orders of forfeiture or confiscation to the state.
The Principal legal consultant in the Attorney General’s Office Lahai Momoh Farma made the disclosure at the weekly press briefing by the Ministry of Information and Communications in Freetown on Thursday 10th March 2021.
He said when the final orders are enforced it will then be the responsibility of the government to decide what actions to take about those properties. Farma revealed that they were going to make public all the relevant information over the assets confiscated after they would have contacted the Ministry of Information and Communications for the Government Printer to produce the document. Notices endorsed by the Under Sheriff would then be issued for full execution of the orders by the courts.
He acknowledged the likely hurdles to be encountered in dealing with evictions from those properties, such as providing the necessary security and asserting proper control over those buildings, all of which he said were being looked into.
On the issue of repayment of monies to the state by those individuals found culpable over the misuse of public funds, he explained that the process was on-going, with some individuals paying in instalments. Repayments go into a government bank account opened by the Ministry of Finance.
The consultant lawyer would however not be drawn on the amount of money that has been turned in so far saying that aspect was not within the purview of the Attorney General’s office, and also dismissed emphasis on publishing the identities of those returning the monies to the state.
About the actions by some individuals named in the Inquiry to legally challenge its recommendations, he said one hundred and ten people have lodged appeals.
According to him, seven of those cases have already been looked into and there were indications from the presiding judges that the already reserved judgements might be delivered next week. He used the opportunity to highlight the consequences awaiting those who might fail in the appeals that may include repaying of the monies with interest and other stiffer penalties.
Farma stated that it was not a government inquiry but that of the public, and believed the investigations focused on stolen monies that he said belonged to the people, and the process was therefore in the interest of the people.
On another note, Farma said even in his official responsibilities related to directives or recommendations by the Commissions of Inquiry, he had never had any conversation or contact with President Julius Maada Bio, underlying their independence.
The SLPP government upon assuming governance after the March 2018 elections set up a Transition Team which presented a damning report against the preceding APC administration, which led to the setting up of three Commissions of Inquiry that looked into the stewardship of people mostly in Ministries Departments and Agencies.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online 12/03/21
