By Francis H. Murray
Hundreds of supporters of former President Ernest Bai Koroma took to the streets of Makeni on Thursday in demonstration against the Anti- Corruption Commission (ACC)’s attempt to question him over allegations of corruption.
The supporters mounted roadblocks on major streets leading to the residence of the former President, who is also the leader of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC), thereby denying agents of the ACC access into his residence.
The ACC wanted to interview Mr Koroma in relation to findings and in accordance with recommendations of the Commissions of Inquiry (COI) which looked into alleged corrupt practices by former public officials who served in his government between 2007 and 2020.
The decision to interview Koroma also comes about two weeks after the release of the Government White Paper, which endorsed some of the recommendations of the COI report.
The ACC head, Francis Ben Kaifala, said he was forced to order his men not to proceed with the interview which was eventually called off in the face of the unruly behavior staged by youths.
Kaifala said the interview was scheduled to take place in the commission’s office in the township of Makeni but they later agreed after negotiations, to meet with the former president at his residence.
“The initial position was that he should come to our offices but later we agreed to go in, but in the process of us mobilizing to go in, we have hundreds of youths occupied the streets, blocked the roads, put out masquerades and have basically threatened that if anybody attempts to access the president, they’ll attack. For now there is a standoff in Makeni,’’ the ACC boss told Politico in the afternoon of Thursday.
He further noted that he had engaged Koroma in a phone conversation to come out of his compound and talk to his angry supporters to allow them access to him, but that never happened.
‘‘He phoned, saying that he wanted the team to come in and I said the team can come in how? The road is blocked. You have control over people who are out there, do something about it, maybe we can consider to go in, but as it stands now we cannot access and my team cannot put their lives into jeopardy. So they are waiting in the offices. So if you can, you can go and speak with them, but the standoff continued,’’ Kaifala further explained.
Officials of the APC have dismissed the allegations that ACC agents were prevented by party supporters from entering the residence of their leader .
Sidi Yayah Tunis, APC’s spokesperson, denied that their supporters blocked access to the residence of Koroma.
‘‘The former President Dr. Ernest Bia Koroma was here. As a matter of fact he is still here at his residence, he was willing to do the interview,” Tunis told Politico. He added that Koroma spoke to the ACC Commissioner and assured him of his readiness and willingness to receive his team, noting that he (Koroma) even spoke to the Inspector General of Police to assure him of calm. He said it was the ACC’s decision to withdraw there men.
“There were no road blocks leading to the residence of the former president. That I can assure you. And I can also state here categorically that the commission officials at any point came to the residence of the former President and were prevented access into the compound of the former President, No,” Tunis stressed.
President Koroma had described the current government’s move on him as an attempt to tarnish his image and he had also vowed to defend his reputation through all available legitimate means.
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