By Mabinty Kamara
Former Registrar of the Political Parties’ Registration Commission (PPRC) has described his two-year trial on corruption allegation as relief, noting that “there was no solid evidence against me in court”.
Abraham John was prosecuted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) along with two other accused persons after his former boss, Chairman Justice Tholla Thompson, accused them of financial misappropriation.
He was eventually acquitted by the High Court in Freetown presided over by Justice Alusine Sesay “for want of prosecution”.
John, who had consistently protested his innocence, said he was a victim of persecution, and he accused his former boss Justice Thompson of being behind it all.
“It was like a comic relief in the courtroom when all the prosecution witness did not say anything that had a bearing with the charges levied against me,” he told Politico in an interview.
The three were indicted on June 2014. Their offences ranged from conspiracy to failure to comply with the applicable laws relating to the management of funds. The crimes were alleged to have been committed between October 2012 and March 2013 in Kenema.
John’s co-accused were Victor Hugo Kamara, who was Mediation Officer for the PPRC in the east of the country, and Robert Paine, Mediation and Programme Manager of PPRC.
In total, the three people were accused of misappropriating over Le 60 millions of donations for purposes of pre-election and anti-violence campaigns.
John was represented by James Blyden Jenkins Johnston. He said he thought his decision to pursue further studies may have led to his ordeal.
“The allegation was brought against me after I tendered my resignation letter which would have enabled me embark on further studies,” he said.
His resignation was rejected. And to fuel his suspicion further, he said a day before the corruption allegation was formally announced against him, the PPRC management held a meeting to which he was barred from attending, even though he was still technically a member of the management team. He’d hoped to give his own side of the story to clear his name at that meeting.
When the matter was being investigated by the ACC, a letter dated 28 August 2013 and written by its erstwhile head, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, requested that the PPRC suspend all accused persons to ensure a credible investigation.
This added the trouble for John who said his salary was cut off altogether. Although he walks a free man now, Abraham John is bemoaning the “wasted years” he had to battle to prove his innocence.
John said he was contemplating on whether to ask for compensation from the PPRC. He said he was going to seek advice from his solicitor.
“I have already submitted my resignation letter, so I have no intention of working there again. All I want is to rebuild my reputation that has already been dented by the PPRC. I thank God I have been vindicated,” he said.
The PPRC, through its spokesman Lucian Momoh, declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Politico.
(C) Politico 22/03/16
