By a Politico staff writer
31 properties have been ordered for confiscation and forfeiture to the state following a ruling by the High Court in relation to a government White Paper on the Commissions of Inquiry. Details of the nature of the properties and their owners have not been disclosed to the public but many officials in the past government were named in the three commissions of inquiry set up by the present government, of having cases to answer mostly relating to corruption during their stewardship.
Over one hundred appeals were lodged in the Appeal Court by the affected persons of which eleven cases have had judgement passed; five cases got dismissed by the court whilst six were upheld. Another five appeal cases have been reserved for judgement, and full trials are also underway on nine others.
The Attorney General has also filed two appeals in the Supreme Court in the case of former APC minister Diana Finda Konomanyi and SMRT. The company was acquitted earlier by the appeal court. Mani Koroma, and SOGEFEL SARL another company has also challenged in the Supreme Court the ruling by the High Court.
It has also been revealed that twenty- three matters are awaiting judicial guidance. Fifteen new cases have also been presented to the Court of Appeal, to sum up to fifty–five the number of cases. Sources say three separate panels of judges will sit on those cases.
It could be recalled that President Julius Maada upon winning the 2018 elections approved the setting up of a Government Transition Team which immediately went on probing of the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. The subsequent report by the team gave an alarming picture of suspected large-scale corruption, accusation officials named, vehemently denied. Three different commissions of inquiry were set up that then investigated the claims. The final reports by the commissions found incriminating evidence of corruption that in turn led to the issuance of the government white paper. The cases were then referred to the High court. Some of those persons or entities found wanting were ordered to pay fines or had their properties seized and forfeited to the state. Some have since taken their cases to the appeal court.
Copyright © Politico Online (29/09/21)
