The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has indicted Saidu Nallo, Head of Chancery, Dr. Samura M.W Kamara, former Foreign Affairs Minister and four others relating to the construction of the Sierra Leone New York Chancery and for other various corruption offences,
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), on 23rd November, 2021, filed an indictment against Saidu Nallo, Head of Chancery of Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Foday Vahfomba Bawoh, former Financial Attache of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations in New York, Adikalie Foday Suma, former Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations, Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC), Dr. Kandeh Foday Basil Kamara, Financial Attache of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations in New York, and Jules Sanders Davis, an American citizen and agent/contractor of the Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on forty eight (48) counts of corruption offences bordering on Failure to Comply with Applicable Procedures and Guidelines relating to procurement, the management of funds, contrary to Section 48(2)(b), Misappropriation of Public Funds, contrary to Section 36(1), Abuse of Office, contrary to Section 42(1), Fraudulent Acquisition of a Benefit, contrary to Section 48(1)(a), Knowingly Deceiving a Principal, contrary to Section 40(3), and Conspiracy to commit a Corruption offence, contrary to Section 128, of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12, of 2008 as Amended in 2019 respectively.
Saidu Nallom and Foday Vahfomba Bawoh are jointly charged with ten counts of corruption offences involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to nine hundred and forty seven thousand, four hundred United States Dollars ($947,400).
The indictment states further that Saidu Nallo is also jointly charged with Dr. Kandeh Foday Basil Kamara on, sixteen (16) counts of corruption offences also involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to six million, five hundred and thirty thousand, seven hundred and ninety eight United States Dollars, and five cents ($6,530,798.5.)
Moreover, Nallo is jointly charged with Jules Sanders Davis on two counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Corruption Offence.
Foday Vahfomba Bawoh is separately charged with ten counts of corruption offences involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, abuse of office, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to one million, five hundred and ninety two thousand, two hundred United States Dollars ($1,592,200), being funds meant for the reconstruction of the Sierra Leone Chancery Building in New York.
Jules Sanders Davis, who was awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the Chancery building, is separately charged on one count of fraudulent acquisition of a benefit and one count of knowingly deceiving a Principal, as he gave requisitions which contained statements that are defective with the intent to deceive his Principal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Adikalie Foday Suma is jointly charged with Jules Sanders Davis on one count of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and separately charged on two counts of the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds and the tendering of contracts.
Dr. Samura M.W Kamara is charged with one count of deceiving a Principal and one count of misappropriation of public funds amounting to two million, five hundred and sixty thousand United States Dollars ($2,560,000) meant for the reconstruction of the Sierra Leone Chancery Building in New York.
All accused persons will be arraigned before Justice Adrian Fisher on 10th December, 2021.
However against this background, it is clear to see that, Dr. Samura M.W Kamara, despite being the favorite candidate for APC flag-bearer, has become a target to the SLPP.
The SLPP leadership knows too well that it is heading for a major loss at the 2023 election; the reason why they are formulating all manner of hyped-up indictments just to distract Dr. Samura M.W Kamara and the APC from seriously sitting down to plan for the coming election which they (APC) is set to win.
Where is the millions of dollars proceeds from timber export ?
Babadi Kamara Defines Timber Logging Policy!
By Joseph Turay
Despite the fact that President Julius Maada Bio spoke very strong words at the recent COP-26 summit, it is crystal clear that the head of Lead Way, Babadi Kamara is on another track.
It is true that President Bio pledged his government’s compliance to working towards combatting Climate Change in many ways, it is unfortunate that not quite twenty four hours later, the sole government merchant for timber in Sierra Leone is ordering the Inspector General of Sierra Leone Police, Dr. Ambrose Michael Sovula to instruct his police personnel to dismantle the blockades and checpoints placed along timber logging routes and allow the product free pasage.
To the ordinary individual it is inconceivable that the President can be agreeing with world leaders while at home his surbordnate in the person of Babadi Kamara, CEO of Leadway Company in charge of the nations’s timber could be going in the opposite direction and seemingly flouting the president;s agreement and pledge on the world scene together woth world leaders.
Against this background, it is understood that no sooner President Bio had agreed or pledged to abide by the COP26 agreements, he either by commission or ommission or passively or actively gave insrructions for logging activities to kick-start in Sierra Leone in an effort to raise urgent funds in a jiffy – for what purpise, is the million dollar question.
It is a fact that centuries of slash-and-burn farming has destroyed the fertility of most of our soils in Sierra Leone; and Sierra Leoneans must embark on massive making of manure, tree planting, and greening. “
However, timber logging has also massively affected the flora and fauna across the country and Sierra Leone is no exemption to climate change
It could be recalled that President Bio addressed the COP-26, together with a high-powered delegation. Also in attendance was the Mayor of Freetown, Iyvonne Aki-Sawyer.
Contrary to the spirit of the COP26 meeting in which President Bio was an integral part, is therefore, very suspicious that not quite twenty four hours after President Bio pladged to align his country with COP26 regulations against climate change, the CEO, Leadway Trading Company, Babadi Kamara writes the IG reguesting that he informs his LUCs and all other police personnel to allow timber through their checkpoint unhindred because the suspensiuon of in-house timber transportation ended on 31st October, 2021 and so therefore, timber in-house transportation restarted on 1st November, 2021.
“But if President Bio is really serious about fighting climate change, he should have at least waited or pretended to be going along with the COP26 for at least one year. But imediately he leaves the sumit, timber begins moving across the country. Who does he thing he’s fooling? He might be fooling some Sierra Leoneans but not the international community that have eyes everywhere,” said a lecturer at Njala University.
Simply put, deforestation is seen as the clearing of forested lands. In Sierra Leone, Leadway takes the lead to logging and removing Forests or trees for Timber export purposes .
The preceeds are huge, according to by the Sierra Leone’s Audit Service report.
Tree loggings by Leadway has disadvantaged land farms, ecosystems but more importantly the danger it has caused to our environments and the threats to Climte change.
This Wood harvesting by Leadway has caused potential damage to the livelywood of poor rural people and the environment in particular in the noth –esat of the country .
Again, in the south -eastern parts , Leadway has expanded its activities to remove forests and stand of trees from farm forests – lands.
This deal which is legally backed by the government has been converted for export purposes at the determinent of Sierra Leoneans who gain nothing.
Mainly, most deforestation takes place in tropical rainforests in poor rural comminituies that lack basic social amenities of life; the devil here is the harzards the activities are heaping on the already porous roads.
Has the continuing deforestation done by Leadway not defy the COP 26 or affecting negatively our natural ecosystems, biodiversity and the climate change campain the world leaders are trumpting where President Bio made huge commitmnets to reduce or halt the trade..?
A statement from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said the annual rate of deforestation is around 1.3 Million km per decade. Sierra Leone falls within this beachmark though!
And of caurse, leadway is contributing hugely to the decrease in forests areas across the country.
It is also clear that Leadway’s deforestation activities is a tangable threat to biodiversity in particular.
It is a fact that forests represent many of the most veritable hubs of Sierra Leone’s biodiversity ranging from; mammals to birds, insects, amphibians or plants-the forests host many of our rare and fragile spicies.
Research has shown that 80% of th earth’s land animals and plants live in the forests globally.
Distroying the forests, and the export of these Timber and the equation of this very human activity of logging is putting Sierra Leonean’s ecosystems in danger, creating natural or inbalance and putting Sierra Leoneans lives at threat.
By far, forests trees provide shade and colder temperature for animals and little trees or vegeatations which man not survive with the heat of direct sunlight.
Poor rural farmers in Sierra Leone depend on forests for their survival; they use them to hunt and gather raw products their small-scale agriculture process.
Sierra Leonean’s land tenure system is too weak and this has caused companies like government backed Lead way to access these forests directly or indirectly and use them for their ends ; putting the survival of local people in danger.
The continueing deforestation by Leadway will affect and contribute negatively to climate change by every satandard.
It is said that tree absorb and store CO2 throughout their lives. Sierra Leone, like many other countries in africa hold more than 210 gigatons of carbon. And so, the cutting of trees they will release back into the atmosphere the CO2 they were storing.
Again , the fewer the trees, explains that the plant’s overrall ability to capture and store CO2 will deminish or reduce.
Therefore, these effects of tree logging will come negatively to green house effect and to the very climate change meeting president Bio made commitment in Glasgow COP26.
Scientific reseach has proven that food and agriculture accounts for 24% of green house gas emission; while deforestation is estamated to be responsible for 10-15% of all anthropgenic CO2 emmission .
So you now see where Timber logging in a samll poor country like Sierra Leone is raping the country and its people.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has indicted Saidu Nallo, Head of Chancery, Dr. Samura M.W Kamara, former Foreign Affairs Minister and four others relating to the construction of the Sierra Leone New York Chancery and for other various corruption offences,
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), on 23rd November, 2021, filed an indictment against Saidu Nallo, Head of Chancery of Sierra Leone’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Foday Vahfomba Bawoh, former Financial Attache of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations in New York, Adikalie Foday Suma, former Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations, Dr. Samura Matthew Wilson Kamara, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MFAIC), Dr. Kandeh Foday Basil Kamara, Financial Attache of Sierra Leone’s Mission to the United Nations in New York, and Jules Sanders Davis, an American citizen and agent/contractor of the Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to the United Nations, on forty eight (48) counts of corruption offences bordering on Failure to Comply with Applicable Procedures and Guidelines relating to procurement, the management of funds, contrary to Section 48(2)(b), Misappropriation of Public Funds, contrary to Section 36(1), Abuse of Office, contrary to Section 42(1), Fraudulent Acquisition of a Benefit, contrary to Section 48(1)(a), Knowingly Deceiving a Principal, contrary to Section 40(3), and Conspiracy to commit a Corruption offence, contrary to Section 128, of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12, of 2008 as Amended in 2019 respectively.
Saidu Nallom and Foday Vahfomba Bawoh are jointly charged with ten counts of corruption offences involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to nine hundred and forty seven thousand, four hundred United States Dollars ($947,400).
The indictment states further that Saidu Nallo is also jointly charged with Dr. Kandeh Foday Basil Kamara on, sixteen (16) counts of corruption offences also involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to six million, five hundred and thirty thousand, seven hundred and ninety eight United States Dollars, and five cents ($6,530,798.5.)
Moreover, Nallo is jointly charged with Jules Sanders Davis on two counts of Conspiracy to Commit a Corruption Offence.
Foday Vahfomba Bawoh is separately charged with ten counts of corruption offences involving the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds, conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, abuse of office, and misappropriation of public funds amounting to one million, five hundred and ninety two thousand, two hundred United States Dollars ($1,592,200), being funds meant for the reconstruction of the Sierra Leone Chancery Building in New York.
Jules Sanders Davis, who was awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the Chancery building, is separately charged on one count of fraudulent acquisition of a benefit and one count of knowingly deceiving a Principal, as he gave requisitions which contained statements that are defective with the intent to deceive his Principal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Adikalie Foday Suma is jointly charged with Jules Sanders Davis on one count of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, and separately charged on two counts of the failure to comply with applicable procedures and guidelines relating to the management of funds and the tendering of contracts.
Dr. Samura M.W Kamara is charged with one count of deceiving a Principal and one count of misappropriation of public funds amounting to two million, five hundred and sixty thousand United States Dollars ($2,560,000) meant for the reconstruction of the Sierra Leone Chancery Building in New York.
All accused persons will be arraigned before Justice Adrian Fisher on 10th December, 2021.
However against this background, it is clear to see that, Dr. Samura M.W Kamara, despite being the favorite candidate for APC flag-bearer, has become a target to the SLPP.
The SLPP leadership knows too well that it is heading for a major loss at the 2023 election; the reason why they are formulating all manner of hyped-up indictments just to distract Dr. Samura M.W Kamara and the APC from seriously sitting down to plan for the coming election which they (APC) is set to win.
Where is the millions of dollars proceeds from timber export ?
Babadi Kamara Defines Timber Logging Policy!
By Joseph Turay
Despite the fact that President Julius Maada Bio spoke very strong words at the recent COP-26 summit, it is crystal clear that the head of Lead Way, Babadi Kamara is on another track.
It is true that President Bio pledged his government’s compliance to working towards combatting Climate Change in many ways, it is unfortunate that not quite twenty four hours later, the sole government merchant for timber in Sierra Leone is ordering the Inspector General of Sierra Leone Police, Dr. Ambrose Michael Sovula to instruct his police personnel to dismantle the blockades and checpoints placed along timber logging routes and allow the product free pasage.
To the ordinary individual it is inconceivable that the President can be agreeing with world leaders while at home his surbordnate in the person of Babadi Kamara, CEO of Leadway Company in charge of the nations’s timber could be going in the opposite direction and seemingly flouting the president;s agreement and pledge on the world scene together woth world leaders.
Against this background, it is understood that no sooner President Bio had agreed or pledged to abide by the COP26 agreements, he either by commission or ommission or passively or actively gave insrructions for logging activities to kick-start in Sierra Leone in an effort to raise urgent funds in a jiffy – for what purpise, is the million dollar question.
It is a fact that centuries of slash-and-burn farming has destroyed the fertility of most of our soils in Sierra Leone; and Sierra Leoneans must embark on massive making of manure, tree planting, and greening. “
However, timber logging has also massively affected the flora and fauna across the country and Sierra Leone is no exemption to climate change
It could be recalled that President Bio addressed the COP-26, together with a high-powered delegation. Also in attendance was the Mayor of Freetown, Iyvonne Aki-Sawyer.
Contrary to the spirit of the COP26 meeting in which President Bio was an integral part, is therefore, very suspicious that not quite twenty four hours after President Bio pladged to align his country with COP26 regulations against climate change, the CEO, Leadway Trading Company, Babadi Kamara writes the IG reguesting that he informs his LUCs and all other police personnel to allow timber through their checkpoint unhindred because the suspensiuon of in-house timber transportation ended on 31st October, 2021 and so therefore, timber in-house transportation restarted on 1st November, 2021.
“But if President Bio is really serious about fighting climate change, he should have at least waited or pretended to be going along with the COP26 for at least one year. But imediately he leaves the sumit, timber begins moving across the country. Who does he thing he’s fooling? He might be fooling some Sierra Leoneans but not the international community that have eyes everywhere,” said a lecturer at Njala University.
Simply put, deforestation is seen as the clearing of forested lands. In Sierra Leone, Leadway takes the lead to logging and removing Forests or trees for Timber export purposes .
The preceeds are huge, according to by the Sierra Leone’s Audit Service report.
Tree loggings by Leadway has disadvantaged land farms, ecosystems but more importantly the danger it has caused to our environments and the threats to Climte change.
This Wood harvesting by Leadway has caused potential damage to the livelywood of poor rural people and the environment in particular in the noth –esat of the country .
Again, in the south -eastern parts , Leadway has expanded its activities to remove forests and stand of trees from farm forests – lands.
This deal which is legally backed by the government has been converted for export purposes at the determinent of Sierra Leoneans who gain nothing.
Mainly, most deforestation takes place in tropical rainforests in poor rural comminituies that lack basic social amenities of life; the devil here is the harzards the activities are heaping on the already porous roads.
Has the continuing deforestation done by Leadway not defy the COP 26 or affecting negatively our natural ecosystems, biodiversity and the climate change campain the world leaders are trumpting where President Bio made huge commitmnets to reduce or halt the trade..?
A statement from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said the annual rate of deforestation is around 1.3 Million km per decade. Sierra Leone falls within this beachmark though!
And of caurse, leadway is contributing hugely to the decrease in forests areas across the country.
It is also clear that Leadway’s deforestation activities is a tangable threat to biodiversity in particular.
It is a fact that forests represent many of the most veritable hubs of Sierra Leone’s biodiversity ranging from; mammals to birds, insects, amphibians or plants-the forests host many of our rare and fragile spicies.
Research has shown that 80% of th earth’s land animals and plants live in the forests globally.
Distroying the forests, and the export of these Timber and the equation of this very human activity of logging is putting Sierra Leonean’s ecosystems in danger, creating natural or inbalance and putting Sierra Leoneans lives at threat.
By far, forests trees provide shade and colder temperature for animals and little trees or vegeatations which man not survive with the heat of direct sunlight.
Poor rural farmers in Sierra Leone depend on forests for their survival; they use them to hunt and gather raw products their small-scale agriculture process.
Sierra Leonean’s land tenure system is too weak and this has caused companies like government backed Lead way to access these forests directly or indirectly and use them for their ends ; putting the survival of local people in danger.
The continueing deforestation by Leadway will affect and contribute negatively to climate change by every satandard.
It is said that tree absorb and store CO2 throughout their lives. Sierra Leone, like many other countries in africa hold more than 210 gigatons of carbon. And so, the cutting of trees they will release back into the atmosphere the CO2 they were storing.
Again , the fewer the trees, explains that the plant’s overrall ability to capture and store CO2 will deminish or reduce.
Therefore, these effects of tree logging will come negatively to green house effect and to the very climate change meeting president Bio made commitment in Glasgow COP26.
Scientific reseach has proven that food and agriculture accounts for 24% of green house gas emission; while deforestation is estamated to be responsible for 10-15% of all anthropgenic CO2 emmission .
So you now see where Timber logging in a samll poor country like Sierra Leone is raping the country and its people.
