By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The former Minister of Trade and Industry Dr. Richard Conteh on Wednesday 11 January 2022 made another appearance before three Appeal Court judges at the Court of Appeal in Freetown.
The appeal court judges are Justice Ivan Ansumna Sesay as lead judge, Momoh Jah-Steven and Adrian Fisher.
The appeal came as a result of the recommendations and findings made at the commission of inquiry by three judges.
The commission of inquiry was set up by president Bio in 2018 to investigate past government officials from 2007 to 2018.
Lawyer Ady Macaulay representing Dr Conteh in his submission said he relied on his synopsis which he has filed before the court.
He said the evidence made available to the commissioner do not support his specific findings, conclusion and recommendation.
He said in grounds 3(a) of his synopsis the sole commissioner has no evidence before him showing that his client was Minister of Trade and Industry continuously between November 2007 to April 2018.
He said his client was appointed Minister of Trade and Industry in January 2011, left the office in 2013 but was held accountable for activities that took place in 2016 in which he was no longer in office.
Concluding his submission lawyer Macaulay submitted that he also relied on the ruling by the judges in the matter of Sana Marrah COI appeal no.7/2020 delivered on 4 March 2022 and he also relied on section 128 (3) of the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone.
In response, lawyer M. P Bangura representing the state said that the appellant was minister after 2013.
He was asked by Justice Fisher for him to show the evidence in his bundle of synopsis which says that the appellant was minister after 2013 but he responded that he won’t want to argue on the matter but rather rely on his synopsis filed.
At this juncture, the judges adjourned the matter to 1st February 2023 for a ruling.
