As the new Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Kamara is likely to enforce the assets declaration law to make the work of his former colleagues at the ACC easier.
The Assets Declaration form asks questions related to bank accounts, real estate and other properties, sources of income and so on. This information is to be updated every two years but many government officials don’t do that.
There is an access to information law now in operation in the country and ordinary citizens, journalists and researchers can ask for information about any public official or government department or agency and get answers within fifteen days except for more complex or security-related information.
However many Sierra Leoneans, including some journalists, are yet to use this service on a regular basis. Some people are suggesting that the ACC put all assets declaration information on its website for public consumption while others say assets information of new public officials should be sent by the ACC to all news media for publication or broadcasting but that sounds too radical, although possible, for conservative Sierra Leone.
While presenting his form to Shollay Davies, his former deputy at the ACC, Kamara expressed thanks and appreciation President Ernest Bai Koroma for the confidence reposed in him to serve as Attorney General and Minister of Justice in the Republic of Sierra Leone, according to the press release.
Kamara, who hails from Makeni, capital of the northern region, said he will work diligently to achieve the mandate of the office and emphasized that it was no longer “business as usual,” and was poised to making sure that justice is served to all citizens.
The Honourable Minister, the release went on, said it was a good moment, as he was making it known to all and sundry that he had always practiced what he preached. He also also stressed that he was focused and committed to the fight against corruption at all times.
Shollay Davies thanked the Attorney General, for coming to the Commission inspite of his very tight schedule to submit his assets declaration form.
He said event “is a shining example, which other ministers should follow,” adding that Section 119 of the AC Act 2008 obligates all public officers to deposit with the Commission, sworn Assets Declaration Forms three months on assumption of office, but most impressive is that, the Minister has submitted his Declaration Form within two weeks of his appointment, which, he noted, was worthy of emulation.
The Deputy Commissioner, used the occasion to call on all public officers to declare their assets as prescribed by law.
“Until his appointment as Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Kamara served as the Commissioner of ACC for over five years and his leadership was characterized by scores of successes in areas of prosecution, mainstreaming of anti-corruption measures into public sector institutions, raising sufficient awareness on the ills of graft, and the implementation of the 2008-13 and the 2014-18, National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS),” the ACC statement pointed out.
