By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has secured a conviction against Abdul Razak Kabba, a former Senior Information and Technology officer of the Pharmacy Board Sierra Leone.
Kabba, who was convicted last week Thursday, 25th April, was embroiled in a procurement scheme that illegally benefitted his company.
The case was presided over by Justice Simeon Alieu, who sentenced the convict to Ten (10) years imprisonment with the option of paying a fine of Le100 million.
The Commission was represented by N. B. E. Davis Esq, while the convict was represented by D. J. Lavalie Esq. and Abdul Karim Koroma Esq.
Kabba was standing trial on 16 (sixteen) counts of Corruption Offences including Conflict of Interest, contrary to Section 45(1), Participating in Proceedings of a Public Body, contrary to Section (45(2), and Abuse of Office, contrary to Section 42(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.12 of 2008, as amended by the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Act.No. 9 of 2019, respectively.
Kabba was convicted on count one and two, following his guilty plea on both counts, and Justice Alieu ruled that he pays a fine of Fifty Million Leones (Le 50, 000, 000) on each count or face five years jail term each, to run consecutively and not concurrently.
The judge further ruled that the fines be paid immediately.
Kabba’s conviction comes as a major boost for the commission in the fight against graft in the procurement sector.
More than 60% of government’s yearly expenditure goes in to procurement, but the sector is notorious for corruption.
In its indictment statement last week, the ACC said Kabba gave himself undue advantage over other competitors by participating in the awarding of IT contracts to his company.
“Between May, 2017 and November, 2018, Abdul Razak Kabba in his capacity as Senior Information Technology Officer at the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone failed to disclose in writing a direct and personal interest in JPS electronics of No. 2 Upper Brook Street. Freetown, a business enterprise wholly owned by him and contracted the said business entity for several procurement related activities, including the procurement of electronic items, the networking of Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone Head Office in Freetown, the procurement of two designing software for the registration and information department, the repairs of existing electronics equipment in the Bo office of the Pharmacy Board of Sierra Leone…” the statement reads.
Following the ruling, the commission warned other public officials to learn from the example.
“In this regard, the Commission wishes to advise all Public Officers who are in control of Public Resources to comply with laid down laws and procedures in the handling of same,” ACC said on Thursday, 23rd April.
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