By Septimus Senessie
Sierra Leone’s Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday ordered the arrest and detention of the Procurement Officer of the Kono District Council, Thomas Bangura.
According to Wilfred Bangura who heads the ACC Office in the eastern district, Thomas is being held at the Tankoro Police Station.
He told Politico that the suspect spent the night in detention after failing to meet his bail conditions.
The anti-graft agency has not yet given any reason for the detention saying it was "too premature" to disclose the details.
However, the development comes almost a week after the Council came under scathing attacks from civil society organisations over alleged misuse of public funds.
The Council officials told a Local Council Bilateral Budget Discussion for the 2017 fiscal year that they used over Le 22 million on reception and hospitality for visiting government officials. See related story: http://www.politicosl.com/articles/kono-district-council-“misuse”-public-funds.
Procurement is believed to be the biggest conduit for corruption in Sierra Leone with procedures breached and costs inflated.
Copyright (c) Politico 2016
