By Francis H. Murray
The former Vice President of Sierra Leone in the previous All Peoples Congress (APC)-led government, Victor Bockarie Foh, has testified before Justice Reginald Fyn at the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court in Freetown in the ongoing Hajj Gate trial. He is facing an eight-count indictment of corruption and related offences.
Led in evidence by his lawyer, Hindolo Gevao on Thursday, 17th September, 2020, Mr Foh identified the first accused, Sheka Sahid Kamara, as Secretary to the 2017 Hajj Committee, while he (Foh) was serving as Supervisor to the Committee with the mandate to report directly to the President.
Foh, who is the second accused in the case, noted that the 17th August 2017 was a busy moment for him as he was to receive both presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and Faure Gnassingbe Eyadema of Togo into the country, at the Lungi International Airport. He said on that day, the country was going through the tragic experience of the August 14 mudslide and the subsequent mass burial of victims.
He explained that whilst at the Lungi International Airport, he saw the intending pilgrims boarding the Turkish aircraft and he also entered the plane and addressed the pilgrims, asking them to offer prayers for the nation. Foh said the first accused was in the aircraft to only bid farewell, stressing that it was the last time he saw the first accused as the pilgrims left for Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Foh further noted that he took the two visiting Heads of State to then President Ernest Koroma at State House, followed by a visit to the site where the mudslide occurred and later to the place of the mass burial of the victims. He said while he was coming from President Koroma’s office, one of the president’s top security guards approached him with a bag that contained Le45 million, saying that the said amount was from the first accused and meant for him.
The witness said the security personnel counted the money and further informed him that it personally belonged to him as it was a refund of the money he had used to pre-finance one Admire Sesay for the provision of sandwiches for the Hajj Committee.
The Former VP said that from Lungi, he went straight away to his official lodge, after the two visiting presidents had left.
He went on to note that on 18th August, 2017, he received officials from the Bank of Sierra Leone who were led by then Bank Governor, Patrick Conteh, who donated the sum of Le100 million for the victims affected in the mudslide, which was followed by the donation of Le150 million from Zenith Bank for the same purpose.
The witness said on the same date, which was on a Friday, they received numerous complaints from people who claimed that they had been left out of the Hajj process, adding that a host of Muslims went to State House voicing the same concern.
Mr Foh said he had cause, together with President Koroma, to engage the aggrieved people, stating: “I did not set eyes on the first accused.”
He also noted that he was told by one Fakeh that he had in his possession US $60, 000 from the first accused meant also for him and that the first accused was in a hotel. Foh said he was shocked to hear that the first accused was in a hotel while all the complaints were being made by the intending pilgrims.
He said Fakeh promised to come with the US $60, 000 to him on the 10th of September but that it never happened, adding that on 9th of September, 2017, he received a call from the first accused who told him that he was in chains (handcuffs) and had told the ACC that he given him (Foh) US $80,000, when in actual fact, he had $60,000. Foh explained that the first accused told him he was trying to get the remaining US $20,000.
Mr Foh went on to explain that the first accused pleaded with him on the phone, saying that he had to mention all of those conversations and engagements with President Koroma later on.
Foh said Fakeh finally came with the $60,000, accompanied by the driver of the first accused, adding that he alerted his security staff to video the process and that such footage was with the ACC.
According to Foh, he did not tell the ACC in his statement that the first accused left with him $80,000, nor for him to leave the US $60,000, adding that he later persuaded Fakeh to report to the Commission for investigation, which he said he discussed with President Koroma.
The prosecution alleged that Sheka Sahid Kamara, Victor Bockarie Foh and Abu Bakarr Carew, on diverse dates, from 1st January, 2017 to 30th September, 2017, conspired to engage in a project without prior planning to undertake the preparation for the 2017 Hajj pilgrimage, where $ 80,000 USD, as well as Le 300million, were alleged to have been misappropriated by the three people.
Justice Fyn adjourned the matter to today, Monday 21st September, 2020.
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