The party’s former Deputy Chairman and Leaders, Minkailu Mansaray who doubles as former Minister of Mines and Supervisor to the 2017 Hajj Coordinating Committee, Special Assistant to the President and Secretary to the 2017 Hajj Coordinating Committee Sheka Sahid Kamara, former Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President, Mohamed Alie Bah, a member of the 2017 Hajj Coordinating Committee, Ibrahim Fecka Conteh and Abubakar Carew former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs Abubakar Carew were also docked alongside Victor Bockarie Foh.
The six accused persons are facing eight count charges ranging from Conspiracy to Commit a Corruption Offense, Misappropriation of Public Funds, Engaging in a Project without Prior Planning and Knowingly Misleading the Anti Corruption Commission Contrary to Section (127) Sub-Section (1b) of the Anti Corruption Act No.12 of 2008.
The State alleged that the accused persons being the organizers of the 2017 Hajj pilgrimage Coordinating Committee to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Victor Bockarie Foh, Mohamed Alie Bah and Abubakar Carew conspired together with other persons unknown to engage in a project prior to planning and undertaking preparations for Sierra Leonean Muslims to perform the 2017 Hajj in the holy land of Mecca.
The charge sheet indicated that Sheka Sahid Kamara conspired with unknown individuals to misappropriate the sum of eighty thousand United States Dollars, donated for the benefit of Sierra Leonean pilgrims intending to perform the Hajj in the holy land of Mecca in 2017.
It also alleged that the first accused Sheka Sahid Kamara willfully failed to comply with the applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of public funds in approving and withdrawal of three hundred and fourteen million Leones from the 2017 Hajj bank current account at the Ecobank, maintained by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs.
However, the court could not proceed with the matter when it was mentioned as a result of certain documentations and to further ensure that lawyers representing the accused persons are served with the relevant papers relating to the matter by the Lead State Prosecutor, Calvin Tichaona Mantsebo of the Anti Corruption Commission.
State Prosecutor CalvinTichaona Mantsebo however, assured the well-attended court that he would endeavor to ensure that lawyers representing the accused persons are served with the relevant documents relating to the matter before the next adjourned date.
The six accused persons have been put on bail by the Anti Corruption Commission and the presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Reginald Fynn ordered that the accused persons remain on bail earlier granted to them by the Commission. The matter comes up again on 26th September 2018.
