By Abu Bakarr Kargbo
A source at the Anti-Corruption Commission has confided to this press that the Commission is investigating allegations of fraud at the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA). “Our mandate as a Commission is to investigate alleged instances of corruption and to prevent corruption practices. We will leave no stone unturned in unearthing corrupt practices in public places,” the source said whilst responding to whether the Commission is investigating issues of alleged financial fraud at the SLMA. “We have received lots of complaints on financial and administrative corruption at the SLMA. We are doing our own findings and if they’re in any way issues of or substantial facts or evidence leading to corruption we will ring those found wanting to face the full force of the law,” the source revealed.
One of the key issues the ACC is investigating has to do with an allegation of the expenditure of Le2.9 billion that has been misappropriated at maritime on a renovation. “The ACC has detected it and there is a secret investigation going on,” a source at the SLMA said.
The SLMA Executive Director, Paul Sobba Massaquoi refused to comment on the issue when contacted on the phone via SMS. All other efforts made to contact the Administration proved unsuccessful. As of present, a report states that the Procurement Department has been engaged to develop fictitious documents to cover up for not going through procurement procedures. These issues are happening under the watchful eyes of the current Executive Director, who is battling it out to create a new face for the SLMA under the New Direction agenda of President Bio’s government. The Ministry of Transport and Aviation, which supervises the SLMA, is accused of being incompetent to do so, especially under the leadership of the current political head, Minister Kabineh Kallon. There are reported issues of infighting at the SLMA since the days of the former Executive Director, Ken Philip Sondai, who was backstabbed by some top ministry officials and was asked to take the exit door by State House for reasons that were not made clear to the public. Sources say Sondai succeeded in closing most of the loopholes where a cartel had been created to siphon revenues raised for the government and people of Sierra Leone. “The corrupt ‘money-choppers’ at the Transport Ministry and SLMA decided to plot against Sondai to have him out so that their business as usual continues to operate,” a source said and furthered that the said syndicate seems to have resurrected under the current leadership, but one of their strongest opposition is the current Board Chairman, Alhaji Umaru Dumbuya who is their next target. Lots of complaints in the form of correspondences to State House have pointing accusation fingers at the Board Chairman for which there has been no proof/evidence to substantiate. The SLMA Board, according to an inside source, is constraints in performing its functions due to interference from the Transport Ministry and other quarters. Extracts of Part II Section 4 of the SLMA ACTS OF 2000 stated thus: “(4.1) – The governing body of the Administration shall be a Board which shall, subject to this Act, have the control and supervision of the Administration. (2) Without prejudice to subsection (1), the Board shall be responsible for:- (a) securing the implementation of the functions of the Administration; (b) the approval of policies for the proper management of the Administration; and (c) the sound and; proper financial management of the Administration.”