Sierra Leone Telegraph: 24 August 2020:
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) sources in Freetown last night confirmed to the Sierra Leone Telegraph that the ACC is investigating the disappearance of almost One Million Dollars from a Sierra Leone Embassy Bank account held in Beijing, China, and operated by Sierra Leone’s former vice president Victor Foh (Photo above) when he was head of the embassy under the Koroma-led APC government.
According to reports, a total of US$922,455.39 was withdrawn from the account and remain unaccounted for.
The ACC is believed to be questioning a former senior official at the Sierra Leone embassy in Beijing about the cash, and will also be interviewing the former Ambassador to China and vice president – Victor Bockarie Foh (Photo – left) this week.
According to reports, Sierra Leone’s current Ambassador to China – Ernest Ndomahina discovered the bank account in the name of the Sierra Leone Embassy at the Bank of China. The account was opened and operated from January 2015 to December 2019.
The application for the opening of the bank account with the Bank of China is understood to have been made by Sierra Leone’s former Ambassador to China, Victor Bockarie Foh on 8th December 2014, so that people can make donations to Sierra Leone to help deal with the Ebola epidemic, as well as to receive all other donations made to the government and people of Sierra Leone.
It is alleged that in Foh’s application to open the bank account, Ambassador Foh informed the bank that the only person authorized to sign cheques for withdrawals from the special account was the Minister Counselor at the Embassy, Mr. Unisa Sahid Kamara who is now being questioned by the ACC.
According to embassy officials in Beijing, the existence of the special account was not brought to the attention of Ambassador Ernest M. Ndomahina upon taking up office as Sierra Leone’s new ambassador to China.
The disappearance of $18 million of Ebola funds under the former APC government was the subject of an investigation by the ACC. Many of those named in the report are yet to face justice.
Be the first to comment