Sierra Leone Telegraph: 16 May 2020:
Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), last Wednesday, filed indictment charges against Sahr Kemokai, former Head of Procurement at the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA), on nine counts of corruption offences.
He was charged to court on three counts of abuse of office, contrary to Section 42(1); three counts of abuse of position, contrary to Section 43; and three counts of failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement, contrary to Section 48(2)(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act No.12 of 2008, respectively.
According to the ACC, between July and October, 2015, Sahr Kemokai in his then capacity as Head of Procurement at the SLMA, abused his office by improperly conferring an advantage on Ishmael Kamara – the Manager of Sheruk Enterprises; Alusine Kamara – co-partner of Hogo Cajeh Investment; and David Beahboye of TTN Global Limited.
Kemokai is alleged to have awarded Sheruk Enterprises a contract for the supply of office equipment; Hogo Cajeh Investment – a contract for the supply of furniture and fittings; and TTN Global Limited – a contract for the supply of two HF Base Radio, without advertising in an open bidding process for the supply of goods.
The ACC also says that in the same period, Kemokai knowingly abused his position as Head of Procurement at the SLMA, in the awarding of a contract for the supply of office equipment to Sheruk Enterprises – a contract for the supply of furniture and fittings to Hogo Cajeh Investment and a contract for the supply of 2 HF Base Radio to TTN Global Limited, for which he failed to issue out quotation forms to prospective bidders in contravention of Section 37(1) and Section 44 of the Public Procurement Act No. 1 of 2006; and Part VII of the Public Procurement Regulations 2006.
Kemokai is also alleged to have failed to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to procurement, after failing to issue out quotation forms to prospective bidders in contravention of Section 37(1) and Section 44 of the Public Procurement Act No. 1 of 2006; and Part VII of the Public Procurement Regulations 2006.
He is expected to appear in the High Court in Freetown next Thursday, 21st May, 2020.
The ACC says that it “wishes to reassure the general public of its determination to curb graft at all levels in Sierra Leone, particularly in the area of procurement, which accounts for over sixty percent of Government expenditure.”
