By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Executive Director of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Paul Sobba Massaquoi and Peter Joseph Menjor, Fodie U.K Dabor, Hartwell Williams, Victor Alpha, and Festus Musa have all been acquitted and discharged by Justice Mohamed Bawoh of the high court no.5 in Freetown on all five counts indictment of corruption charges against them.
According to the prosecution, the accused persons were indicted of corruption charges of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, failure to comply with applicable procurement procedures and guidelines, abuse of office and knowingly misleading the ACC among others, upon arrangement the accused persons at the time all pleaded not guilty on all corruption charges.
Justice Mohamed Bawoh delivering his judgement gave a brief background history of the ongoing matter and witnesses that testified of the said trial.
According to the charge sheet, all accused persons on count 1 on diverse dates ranging from December 2020 to May 2021 allegedly conspired with other persons unknown to conduct an improper procurement process concerning the rehabilitation of the SLMA office.
The prosecution also alleged that Paul Sobba Massaquoi and others tainting from December 3020 to May 2020 failed to comply with the applicable procurement procedures with regards to the same renovation of the said SLMA headquarter.
The Executive director on a separate charge was accused of abuse of office by failing to follow due process to the awarding of a contract to a construction company and thus failing to comply with due process.
It was also alleged that five of the accused persons were accused of knowingly misleading the ACC between February and March 2021 by giving false statements over the procurement process about the renovation of the said office.
Furthermore, 2nd accused was also alleged to have misled the ACC knowingly between 16th February and 26th March 2021 when he gave false statements by saying that a due procurement process according to the law was conducted for the renovation of the office.
According to the judge, the ACC called several witnesses to testify in proving its case beyond reasonable doubt against the accused persons.
Justice Mohamed Bawoh in handing down his judgement acquitted and discharged all accused persons of corruption allegations on all five counts.