In what appears to be a White Paper, the Sierra Leone Government has upheld the Governance Transition Report alleging widespread corruption in the Ernest Bai Koroma administration, and endorsed recommendations contained therein.
In a statement from State House, cabinet has thereby instructed that the Chief Minister and the Attorney General lead the implementation of the recommendations “in a timely manner”.
The Attorney-General is to set up a Commission of Inquiry to be co-led by a foreign judge and a Sierra Leonean judge whose names will be announced shortly.
The Auditor General and the Audit Service should immediately institute a Special Audit of all ministries, departments and agencies including the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank which is wholly owned by the state, and Rokel Commercial Bank where the state owns majority shares.
The president has also instructed that all unpaid loans owned by politically-exposed persons, which were waived off by the two state-owned banks be paid back within 30 working days or face charges.
Action has also been instructed against individuals under the Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative (StAR), which is an international effort to end safe havens for corrupt funds and to prevent the laundering of proceeds of corruption. The Transition Report alleges state funds were stolen and assets bought overseas.
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