By Kemo Cham
Former President Ernest Bai Koroma has dismissed findings in the Commissions of Inquiry (COI) which accused him and officials who served in his administration of committing corruption, describing them as politically motivated.
Koroma, in a statement issued by his office on Wednesday, accused the current administration of seeking to tarnish his image and vowed to defend his reputation through all available legitimate means.
Koroma’s comment comes after the release recently of the Government White paper on the findings of the COI.
The findings of the Commission, which was conducted between 2018 and 2019, revealed massive corruption during the 10-year (2007-2018) period Koroma was at the helm of affairs in the country. Koroma himself was found to have lived above his legitimate earnings, which prompted the Commission to recommend forfeiture of some of his properties.
The Government White paper which was unveiled on last week Thursday, September 24, endorsed the recommendations.
And on Wednesday, September 30, the Anti-Corruption Commission announced that it had served the former head of state a notice inviting him for questioning in relation to the findings of the COI.
That followed earlier in the week an announcement by the government, imposing travel ban on the former president and 111 former officials mentioned in the reports, requiring them to seek clearance before they attempt to leave the country.
Koroma said he was “disappointed” by some of the references to him in the reports, noting that they amounted to defamation.
He also lamented that it was unfortunate that after serving his country “diligently, fairly and with honour and integrity” he was now been treated in this manner.
“While it is apparent that the allegations against me are without merit and are a politically motivated charade calculated to impugn my hard-earned reputation, I further believe that the government’s relentless heckling around me has reached undue and unacceptable levels that amounts to political harassment,” Koroma said in the statement signed by himself.
This is the first time ever the former president has commented publicly on the COI and allegations of corruption leveled against him since he left office.
His statement followed a similar one from his party, the All People’s Congress (APC), which also dismissed the COI and White paper reports and vowed to support its members to defend themselves against the decision by the government to implement its recommendations.
The government, in the White paper, had given the former officials 90 days from the day of publication to make all repayment to the consolidated revenue fund or face action.
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