September 20, 2021
By: Francis F.M.Harding
Paul Sobba Massaquoi, the Executive Director of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Peter Joseph Menjor, Acting Director of Procurement of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Fodie U.K. Dabor, the Acting Director of Finance of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Hartwell Williams, Quality and Assurance Manager of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Victor Alpha Human Resource Manager, of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, and Festus Musa Procurement supervisor of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration appeared before Justice Mohamed Bawah at the High Court in Freetown on the 16th September, 2021.
Third Police Witness (PW3) was supposed to testify in court against the Paul Sobba Massaquoi, the suspended Executive Director of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration but defense counsels objected that the State Prosecutor did not serve them any affidavit.
When he was responding to counsels, the state Prosecutor Salifu Harleston said he intends to come with a professional witness in the witness box.
Kamanda A. Esq said he has no notice about the professional witness the ACC Prosecutor is talking about and he believes that the ACC Prosecutor should have served all defense counsels before the seating date and the ACC Prosecutor should have informed counsels.
Lawyer I. Mansaray said that he spoke to the ACC Prosecutor that if he intends to bring the witness he must inform counsels on the sides taken. He said that he intends to object for him to tender whatever he intends to tender.
ACC Prosecutor, Lawyer Salifu Harleston said he served his learned colleagues but it is an oversight but what he normally does is a gentleman agreement as Lawyer Mansaray has accepted that.
Lawyer Vandi said he is not equally served and we should not do progress at the expense of justice. He continued to say that we cannot force expedition at the expense of justice.
He said they should be given a day before the seating.
Justice Mohamed Bawah urges the ACC Prosecutor to serve counsels on the other side before the next seating.
According to the Anti-Corruption Commission charge sheets, the accused persons were charged with five counts charges of corruption offences including conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, contrary to section 128 (1) (a) failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines, contrary to section 48 (2) (b) abuse of office, contrary to section 42 (1), and knowingly misleading the Commission, contrary to section 127 (1) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.12, of 2008, as amended by the Anti-Corruption Act No.9 of 2019 respectively.
It is alleged that the charges are concerned with failure to conduct a bidding process as required by section 37 and 39 of the Public Procurement Act No.1 of 2016, with regards the rehabilitation of the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration headquarters building in Freetown.
Paul Sobba Massaquoi, Fodie U.K Dabor, Hartwell Williams and Victor Alpha, are also charged with knowing and misleading the Commission by making statements to the investigators of the Anti-Corruption Commission, that a procurement process was conducted in respect of the procurement of works for the rehabilitation of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration headquarters building in Freetown, when in truth and in fact, no procurement process was conducted in respect of the said procurement. These four accused persons are jointly for count one for misleading the Commission.
It is alleged that Peter Joseph Menjor, between the 17th February and 18th March, 2021 knowingly mislead the Anti-Corruption Commission by making statements that his signature appended to the documents purporting to be connected with a procurement process were authored by him, contrary to section 127 (1) (b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.12, of the 2008 as amended by the Anti-Corruption Act No.9 of 2019.
It is alleged that Paul Sobba Massaquoi is charged with abuse of office by improperly awarding a contract to rehabilitate the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration headquarters building in Freetown without having a bidding process conducted in compliance with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement of works. The charges were read by the Clerk and all the six accused persons denied the charges.
It could be recalled that that on the 31st May, 2021 the Anti-Corruption Commission filed in an indictment against the six accused persons on five counts of corruption offences.
Lawyer representing the first and fourth accused persons is Lawyer Ibrahim Mansaray, Lawyer Alkmaar is representing the second accused person, Lawyer J.M Jengo is representing the third person, Lawyer B.S. Nabieu is representing the fifth accused person and H.M Gavao is representing the sixth accused person. The matter has been adjourned to the 21st September, 2021.