This is a report by Platinum Media:
Platinum Media is currently investigating disturbing allegations of bribery involving some government functionaries over this year’s pilgrimage to the Holy Land of Mecca.
Our usually reliable sources say some intending pilgrims for this year’s Muslim Pilgrimage to Mecca have been denied the opportunity because they cannot pay $ 2,500 to have their names included in the list of government scholarship beneficiaries. What is more disturbing is the revelation that this year’s selection criteria was completely ignored despite repeated warnings from State House.
The Hajj Committee, headed by the Vice President, Victor Bockarie Foh and Minister of Mineral Resources, Minkailu Mansaray has been mired in controversy after we also learnt that two individuals given the task to collate the names of beneficiaries have deliberately ignored instructions to have genuine and poor intending Muslim pilgrims benefit from the Hajj Scheme.
Sheka Kamara (Shekito), and former Member of Parliament – Nuru Deen Yillah, both Special Assistants to the President have been heavily linked to the unfolding scandal. There are unconfirmed reports that both men have been arrested by police.
Platinum Media is also very disturbed by the information that the names of Guinean and Malian nationals were through clandestine means included in the list of beneficiaries at the expense of Sierra Leonean pilgrims.
Our sources also say one Amira, a female staff at State House has been the one collecting bribe payments on behalf of the corrupt ring parading as genuine coordinators of the Hajj programme.
We have been approached by individuals that are willing to provide concrete evidence of how a group of greedy people are bent on tarnishing the reputation of a well appreciated Hajj programme.
We are also calling on the Anti Corruption Commission to quickly intervene on what is turning out to be a very shameful episode in government’s quest to provide religious welfare to its citizens. (End of Platinum’s report).
Latest Development: Hajj thieves Sacked
President Ernest Bai Koroma has sacked, with immediate effect, three leading members of the Hajj Committee in the wake of shocking revelations on how they sold government pilgrimage scholarships meant for poor Muslims.
Special Assistants to the President in charge of Social and Political Affairs respectively, Sheka Kamara (Shekito) and Hon. Nuru Deen Sankoh, and the Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President Alhaji A.M Bah have all been sacked. They will face investigations by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC).
Reports have it that these disgraced and sacked government functionaries sold government hajj scholarships to foreign nationals between $2,500 and $8,000 whilst the actual beneficiaries were left stranded in the cold at Youyi Building for several days, unable to travel to Mecca.