Sierra Leone Telegraph: 7 March 2019:
Sierra Leone is saying no to corruption. Yesterday, the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission reported that Ambassador Alie Ibrahim Kanu, who was also the former Chairman of the country’s Independent Media Commission and former Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, has been charged to court for various corruption offences, relating to the passport corruption scandal.
Also indicted by the ACC are Alfred Kallon – Human Resource Officer at the Office of the Administrator and Registrar-General; and Sulaiman Issa Turay – Head of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
According to the ACC, altogether they are facing a total of Forty-Three counts of various corruption offences over the issuance of Service Passports to non-deserving persons.
Ambassador Alie Ibrahim Kanu is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, contrary to Section 128(1), and three counts of peddling Influence, contrary to Section 31(3) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008.
It is alleged that Kanu had used his influence to recommend non-deserving persons to obtain Service Passports and apply for visas at Embassies.
Alfred Kallon is charged with thirty-three counts of abuse of office, contrary to Section 42(1), and one count of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, contrary to Section 128(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008.
Alie, the ACC says, served as the initial conduit for the development of fake appointment letters, NASSIT cards, etc., used to enable undeserving persons obtain service passports.
Sulaiman Issa Turay is charged with three counts of abuse of office, contrary to Section 42(1) and one count of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, contrary to Section 128(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008.
Turuy is said to be responsible for processing and recommending the issuance of Service Passports by the Immigration Department.
The three accused will make their first appearance at the High Court of Sierra Leone in Freetown, next Monday, 11th March, 2019.
All three are being held in detention pending court appearance, after their respective bails were revoked by the Commissioner.
In August, 2018, the ACC launched what it called “Operation Eagle Claw”, which led to the arrest of persons of interest outside the premises of the United States Embassy in Freetown, various offices and homes on 12th September, 2018.
I Love Sierra Leone. I cannot wait to go back for business without foreigners posing as Sierra Leoneans. They were the only fraud I experienced there. All of my many experiences with the Sierra Leone people and govt was 1st class service and a 2nd class price.
Anyone who commit a crime must face and be held responsible for the consequences. Those responsible for given our passports to people who are not Sierra Leonean must bear the blunt. I am sure there are a lot of people who claim to be Sierra Leonean and having the conutry´s passport. Those passports must be withdrawn by the authorities, and those people must be punished according to the laws of the country.