Former president Koroma must cooperate fully with corruption investigations

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 7 October 2020:

The Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) yesterday urged Sierra Leoneans to demonstrate unwavering support for ongoing anti-corruption efforts in the country. Writing in a statement published yesterday, CARL said that the scourge of corruption remains a binding constraint to the country’s developmental aspirations.

“Corruption has inflicted unquantifiable damage to our country since Independence, and sadly, it is still prevalent and pervasive. There is no doubt, however, that if we work cooperatively, we can minimize the scourge of corruption through various measures of education, prevention, investigation and resolution”, said Ibrahim Tommy, Executive Director of Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law.

“Our attention has also been drawn to the ongoing investigation of former government officials by the Anti-Corruption Commission, including former President Koroma.

“We believe that as a former president of our country he deserves all the respect our laws and customs confer on him.

“Similarly, as a law-abiding citizen, we respectfully urge him to cooperate fully with ongoing investigations into his 11-year stewardship as President of Sierra Leone, including by availing himself at the offices of the Anti-Corruption Commission whenever he is required to do so.

“We remind the leadership and staff of the ACC of the need to treat him fairly and respectfully, having regard to his rights under the constitution. We also urge members of his family and supporters to remain calm and peaceful, as we will continue to monitor the process to ensure that his rights are fully respected,” the statement reads.

READ THE FULL STATEMENT HERE:

CARL PRESS STATEMENT ON CORRUPTION – 6 OCT 2020

25 Comments

  1. Mr Matturi, kakistocracy was taken to the extreme by the APC administration of Ernest Koroma. Wait, you will be shamed when offshore bank accounts are exposed by the US department of Treasury. Like President Buhari, Sierra Leone will recoup most of the stolen monies. You will run but you can’t hide brother. Instead of being “shambolic’, I hope you will manufacture another meaningless and substandard word to apply to the mess you and your handlers will find yourselves in.

  2. Who is next after Chief Sam Sumana and the APC Leader Dr Ernest Bai Koroma? Is Dr Samura Kamara next? God guide, protect and bless Dr Samura Kamara and the APC Leadership. Amen and Amen.

    • Mr. Tommy seems to be missing in action here. You are damn hypocrite. Is there anything called accountability and rule of law and order in Sierra Leone at all? Mr. Tommy, do you think your bogus kangaroo commission of enquiry was set up in good faith at all, using or allowing all the inter-party proposed instruments to be used in order to foster cohesion. Where was Tommy when over 100 innocent prisoners were all gunned down at the Pademba road prison. Where was Tommy when SLPP escalated their level of thuggery against innocent Sierra Leoneans. The killings in Makeni, Lunsar, Tonko Limba, mile 91, to name but a few, where Was Tommy and your so-called civil society organisation?

    • O my brother I do admire your loyalty to these two fine people, Chief Sam Sumana and Pa Ernest B. Koroma, but the greatest loyalty goes to Chief Sam Sumana. That is the way a man should be and continue doing so. You will be blessed one day. Though the politicians are not 100 percent reliable, but good luck.

  3. Bravo to you and congratulations to Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma, the President of the Republic of Makeni. Now not only the Sierra Leoneans but the whole world, and now the world had come to understand that, only EBK I meant EBK is above the law of the land. I personally see no reasons why the former President should reject to appear for interviews instead, he connived and organized street boys, to demonstrate not to allow him to show up respectively for the invitation. Folks let me remind you that, the most violence orchestrator in the country today is EBK no doubt.

    The society called themselves” SOKOBANA” demonstrating on the street, these are the same people that were running like a wolf after Makeni City and it’s surroundings were attacked and invaded by the rebels in the 90s. It is surprising to me seeing the guys today with no shame or modesty. Where were you when Makeni was invaded and you didn’t use your power and the city against the enemies?. My belief is they are all cowards not Patriots to the nation period. As matter of fact, for EBK he knows the power of government, he was there for a very long time, 11 years folks! We are all praying not to trigger another war, folks; don’t be fooled by anyone, I swear to God if the government gets ready to isolate Makeni to get who they wanted, it won’t take them hours.

    This is the main reason why Ernest refuses to step aside and has appointed himself as a life chairman to protect himself from arrest, I don’t know why people are so dumb! Do they really have their five senses?. Who do you think will suffer the consequences if war breaks out in Makeni? Are you sacrificing your life for these politicians while their children are receiving a better education abroad? What’s actually going wrong with you folks?.

    EBK’s time is over and he will never be President again for Sierra Leone, so what does he want again? Ernest you were elected President and ruled the country for 11 good years; nobody attempted to hinder your government. Why won’t you give that same chance and opportunity to Maada Bio to govern easily? President Kabba never attempted to hinder yours. Can Bio act
    quickly to save Sierra Leone? I rest my case. May God help and protect my country.

  4. Sahr Matturi, Since you are now focused on names rather than important issues in this critical moment of our country, based on your opinions which I respect because you are always entitled to, l will advise you to join the ranks of Joh Fornah alias Young4na or Saidu Conteh alias Stargazer, which at least will protect your real name from the amount of scrutiny and backlash you are now facing on this glorious forum. Defending the lifetime chairman of the corruption and destructive APC party, who is now a Spineless coward that is scared of the ACC is very unpatriotic. Just in case you need any help finding a pseudo name, please let me know.

    • Are you talking about the Bio SLPP kakistocracy operatives Mr Alusine Fallay? Give me one example of the so called backlash on this glorious platform against me, Mr Alusine Fallay. You now seem to be on the receiving end of this debate, because the Bio SLPP kakistocracy has nothing to offer you people to go on the attack, more than two wasteful years. Really sad.

      What you are saying is a sign of weakness in my view. Backlash or no backlash, I don’t care. I care about one thing and that is to make sure the Presidency goes home safe and sound. Period. How we get there does not matter. Are you angry about names? Or, are you just tormented by the happiness of others praising their men. Words like kakistocracy, the greatest Commander ever etc are going to stay until we kick their butts out of power in 2023. Finally, thank you very much Mr Alusine Fallay for your thoughts.

  5. The greatest former Commander Of Thieves Chief ever, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma. I hope CARL and the ACC will do due diligence and bring them all to book. God bless my beloved Country Sierra Leone

    • Is Mr Africanus a hit and runaway forumite? No time to waste on Mr Africanus, I reckon. We have serious issues to discuss on this glorious platform, which I’m absolutely dedicated doing. Expose the mess accumulated by the Bio SLPP kakistocracy, who unfortunately, have hijacked the SLPP party. I remember reading about the Roman General Scipio Africanus. May I ask Mr Africanus if he is from Italy? Because, I want to know his first name. Maybe, I’m dealing with my former friend Sergio Africanus. Hear Mr Africanus, somewhere on planet earth, trying to get my attention and at the same time, trying to distract me from the subject matter.

  6. CARL has been objective in all its dealings. So Mr. Matturi what are you talking? This country is a democratic state ok. Telling your so called Commander chief of staff to stay at home is very unhealthy for you and the country at large.

    • As you rightly said Mr Ibrahim Sesay – “This country is a democratic state OK”. I know you are a strong supporter of the Bio SLPP kakistocracy. I have no problems with that. All I know is this – Our greatest former Commander in Chief of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces ever and of course the “Peoples Commander”, has lawyers to engage with the corrupt and selective justice ACC on any Chicken Talk on his behalf. What is wrong with that Mr Ibrahim Sesay. No need for him to waste his pressure time on a shambolic matter. I believe , that CARL has been inept in its judgement on this particular issue. Discuss Mr. Ibrahim Sesay. Set a thief to catch a thief is not going to work. You can’t establish a COI on corruption, whilst you have been in a corrupt den in the past, raping our economy. No way. God help Mr Ibrahim Sesay continue his defense for the inept attitude of CARL.

  7. These are unpatriotic and mischievous comments. Allow the system to function, then you would be able to amend what needs to be amended to function properly. The sad fact here is that, EBK had the opportunity to rope in the former mehaji and his boys for embezzling our rehab and development funds but reneged. I’m full blood APC, but regardless of the flaws of the current exercise, we need to allow it to function. If EBK and the rest of the jammah are innocent, let the law decide (provided we have got a reliable and honest judiciary). The fight against this scourge must start and now. Next time the APC comes to power, why not allow it to do its own forensic auditing and pursue those found wanting?

  8. The answer, Sahr Matturi, is yes, we will listen to CARL! These days, you and your friend Stargazer are making no iota of sense. Your diatribes are full of insults that have no place in a civilized society. Lower the meter so that we can follow your side of the debate.

    • Point of correction Mr. L. Colsen. You said “yes, we listen to CARL!”. You and who are listening to CARL? Reply as quickly as you possibly can, before I turbo charge my next move. This is a typical Bio SLPP kakistocracy supporter attack. It should have been better if Mr L. Colsen had said, “yes I will listen to CARL”. This just tells me how the Bio SLPP kakistocracy’s New Direction has turned into a point of NO DIRECTION. Hear Mr L Colsen, somewhere on planet earth teaching me about “iota of sense” and “a civilized society”, which makes no sense to me on this particular issue. God help the many poor blighters and blokes who have become victims of the Bio SLPP kakistocracy no direction. No direction means, no leadership and a catastrophic policy failure in my view.

  9. Let’s be clear and honest with ourselves, even president Bio, was graceful enough to allude to it. As a nation, our politicians have failed us due to corruption. Whether we like it or not, we the general population are part and parcel of the problem. Corruption is entrenched in every part of our society. I think the government should introduce a subject in both primary and secondary schools, to teach our young men and women about the dangers corruption pose to our country. Above all else how to love and be proud of our country. School children should be given the option of wearing the National flag as part of the school uniform. Just like how you teach subjects about how to care for the environment.

    Until and unless we learn to love our country, corruption will always be with us. For instance, the accusations made against the former president EKB and his government, can be made against any government official past and present, with the exception of Colonel Andrew Juxon-Smith military government in 1968. Long before Bio experience his road to Damascus moment on fighting corruption, we the long suffering people of Sierra Leone, knew how corruption has sucked the lifeblood out of our country, but we continue, due to what can only be defined collectively as a country suffering from the Stockholm syndrome, by continually voting for the same people, that buy our votes by giving us a T-shirt or a bag of rice in election times.

    That in itself is definition of corruption. As a nation, we cannot continue to do the same thing and expect a different result. That is the definition of MADNESS. In fighting this scourge, the LAW should be used as the weapon of choice, not tribal or emotional or regional affiliations. Everyone, will be watching how the ACC conducts its investigation against EBK and his former ministers. And most importantly, it should not drag on forever. Dr Blyden’s case comes to mind. The security of our country is too fragile for that. Otherwise president Bio who was elected on other mandates as well, would have spent his five years fighting his political opponents, thereby ignoring other issues that need the state attention. With COVID19, ravaging our economy, there is a lot at stake. May God bless Sierra Leone.

  10. The beautiful ones are yet to be born in Sierra Leone. Somehow, corruption is best fought when those prosecuting it have the moral authority to do so. In the absence of such trusted moral guarantors, talk of witch hunt becomes the order of the day….and with witches flying all over the place, witch “sonko sonko en cuss cuss” across the land, the need for a credible Ariogbo becomes even more important.

    Now, will the real Ariogbo stand up! It may be hard to find one because as a nation we were founded on corrupt colonial practices that began to kill the real Ariogbos and everything that held us together culturally, spiritually, economically. Our postcolonial leadership continued the corrupt practices of killing real Ariogbos and Statesmen, replacing them with Laybelleh mafiosos. So how do we fight corruption when the very DNA of the country was built on it?

  11. Now this also:” We remind the leadership and staff of the ACC of the need to treat him fairly and respectfully, having regard to his rights under the constitution.” Goodness gracious! How startlingly naïve and impressionable of members of CARL to even try to suggest in utter ignorance that the ACC is an institution that is reliable and credible. Gentlemen – if you truly believe that the ACC is going to ethically play by the rules of decency and not trample violently on the rights of those falsely accused of corruption, then here’s a simple test for you; Firstly, take a deep breath and see if you can believe in this also; “I have a newly painted Bridge for Sale that’s only been slightly used.” What say you? Make me an offer I cannot refuse?(lol)

    Again, it seems to me that Criminal SLPP is now going all out in their quest for credibility, to use anyone that is willing to be bought at a bargain price to act as their stooges and puppets willing to perform daily on a yucky, messy, slippery political stage they have created for the purposes of selling absurdities, lies and deceptions to our gullible unsuspecting people. Let me reiterate – The former President should not listen to any wolf or vampire dressed in the clothing off harmless sheep, neither should he avail himself in hostile territories anywhere in Sierra Leone that are threatening to his well-being and security, under the full control of merciless rabid wolves and wicked mouth-frothing hyenas. Let the lawyers do the talking; And let them get down and dirty with these fraudsters in the nitty-gritty, tricky back and forth questions and answers involved in their mindless tribalistic charade.

    Stay in your peaceful home Sir, this is a democratic country where the Rule of Law reigns supreme and should never ever be compromised – let your lawyers do the talking – that’s what they are being paid for!

    • Let me hammer the final nail on the coffin Stargazer. Mr former Commander in Chief of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces and of course the “Peoples Commander”, please stay home as Stargazer said, but more importantly, let your lawyers present themselves in front of the selective justice and corrupt ACC to do the CHICKEN TALK. The people will be there to support the “Peoples Commander”. Who cares if the former Commander in Chief of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces attend? Frankly speaking, I don’t give a damn! It’s all a shambolic drivel. God bless, guide and protect Sierra Leone’s greatest Commander in Chief of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces ever, the gorgeous and no nonsense Dr Ernest Bai Koroma.

  12. It’s just a matter of time since the lifetime leader is still recovering from the shock but he will definitely show up.He thought he was untouchable, but if the people of Sierra Leone held Rebel leaders like Foday Sankoh and Charles Taylor who carried weapons for over a decade, they will definitely hold the lifetime leader and his cohorts for their massive thefts which already killed thousands of our citizens.
    Simply cough up our money.

  13. I agree with you Sir, the Honourable and impregnable Mr Rashid Thomas, that the ACC and even those who oppose the former president should show him total respect. By treating the former president with courtesy that befits him, the ACC will be sending a loud and clear message that despite our ideological differences, we are a people of one nation bounded by the principle of self reliance on one another. We may quickly recover what ever assets that were taken through greed by the accused, but it will take a long time to repair the damage caused by belittling our opponents.

    The accused, if found guilty in the court of law, should ask for pardon from the people of Sierra Leone and proceed to give back the ill gotten assets to the people. We all should be vigilant to root out corruption in our beloved Sierra Leone. President Bio is laying the ground work for future administrations to follow. This fight against corruption is not about tribal or political affiliations. It is about all the people of Sierra Leone who deserve the basic necessities of life; food, clean supply of water, good schools, good and affordable or free health care, good roads, 24 hour electricity, etc. Funds embezzled are not allocated to fund the basic projects that would improve people’s lives.

    • Yes indeed! HURRAY! Thank you GOD.F inally, with God’s grace and mercies, Sierra Leone can soon be able to feed her people, and come from the bottom ladder of this disgrace, poverty. IJMN. AMEN. SO SHALL IT BE. It is a disgrace with all the minerals of the country diamonds particular and all the GREAT MINDS that the people of Sierra Leone can suffer like this. GOD FORGIVE US. AMEN.

  14. Thank you CARL for the call for unity in the fight against corruption. As a citizen am in full support of the clarion call. corruption continues to undermine development in our country so we as citizens must not allow people who have been involved in graft to hide themselves through our political parties, tribe , region and social class. Let us don’t camouflage theft by giving fine English name fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation and all those venial of legality to make them look as if it’s a nice game. Let us call these men and women by their rightful names. They must be called thieves.

  15. The Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) have done a spectacular and brilliant job. Their statement leaves no room for criticism because it lacks one-sidedness. It calls for cooperation, fairness, respect, expeditious handling of appeals by the Judiciary professionally, and reminds the nation that official corruption remains a retarding force to its progress despite some meaningful advancement.

    I take my hat off to CARL. In the middle of all the rage, claims and counter claims with threats of violence visible they have produced an angelic statement that can only be described as the work of level headedness and fairness – a medication to calm nerves to bring people to their senses. It is a source of hope. In the past, an organisation like CARL would be seen as a hinderance to the perpetration of thuggery and should be destroyed.

  16. Are Sierra Leoneans going to listen to CARL? Did CARL know that the the former Commander in Chief of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces is the “Peoples’ Commander”? I hope they do. Where was CARL hiding all this time? God bless, guide and protect the greatest former Commander in Chief ever, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma. TBC.

    • Gone were the days when we had real debaters on fora like the Bintumani forum. People argued on partisan lines but they did it intelligently.

      Mr Matturi is myopically arguing that President Koroma’s lawyers should make statement for him in a criminal investigation. You don’t need to have gone through selective entrance examination to know that even when lawyers are present in a suspect interview, they cannot answer for their clients. If the suspect is uncomfortable with a question he ask for a break to consult his lawyer.
      So please Mr Matturi argue sensibly and as someone said above to make your participation on this forum meaningful.

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