Romanian born businessman Frank Timis, an Australian carrying passport holder, is indicated to receive a takeover of a Rail way contract from the government of Sierra Leone.
Mr. Timis has two convictions for supplying heroin in the 1990s and has been involved in a series of failed mining ventures in Africa.
After exploiting Sierra Leone’s mining industry for several years, with the country benefiting next to nothing. Very reliable intelligence reports that the former Chief Executive Director of Africa Minerals Ltd, Frank Timis, has stealthily entered into this country again and this government has signed an agreement with the crook and terminated Leone Rock’s (Kingho) lease.
After destroying the country’s mining infrastructure during the APC administration, Frank Timis has got the nerve to come back in cloak and dagger fashion to exploit Sierra Leone people under the SLPP watch. Being a very clever crook and one who knows the floppy policies, lax laws, loose rules and regulations of Sierra Leone back and front, Frank Timis knows how to connect himself to the powers that be to have his way. Timis is able to connive with ministers as accomplices to his mafiasco dealings.
Timis is hoping to manage the operations of the Pepel Railway in Tonkolili District to transport mineral deposits for exporting.
Since he has been detected and his plans exposed, it is now left with the community people where the railway operates. Sierra Leoneans must ensure they protest against such a bad arrangement. It is a deal to put ill-gotten money into the pockets of inveterate politicians who would do their worst to exploit Sierra Leone’s minerals.
The signing of such a bad lease with ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms Ltd is a continuation of the APC spectre. Very little is known of this entity that has no track record of success anywhere on the globe.
A ‘mafia’ company ARISE Integrated Industrials has come up to fool the people of Tonkolili on behalf of the Bio’s government by hoodwinking them that they are ready to invest over four hundred million dollars on the railway. A lot needs to be answered for by the Mines Minister, knowing what had transpired six-to-seven years ago under Frank Timis and the APC. Both the African Minerals and London Mining left the railway in a shambolic state.
It is no secret that this Romanian businessman called Frank Timis was mentioned in the Panama Papers’ scandal; involved in tax fraud; and bad mining deals up and down in Africa and beyond. A BBC News investigation alleged that Timis paid £35.20 in tax in 2017 despite living a life of luxury, and included a statement from the Tax Justice Network suggesting that Timis be investigated for tax fraud. Tax Justice Network said it looked like Mr. Timis was dodging tax: “It all points to this being a maneuver to cheat the tax man.”
Rise Project said that key-people involved in the privatization of aluminum maker Alro are also included in the Panama Papers. Timis is a questionable investor in the mining sector.
In Liberia’s oil industry Frank has been implicated in corruption and his company African Petroleum, an investigation by FrontPage Africa has discovered. During the investigation, an unholy alliance between Timis and officials of NOCAL point to a relationship that has undermined transparency and probity in the country’s oil program.
The Public Review has learnt that the Kingho Railway and Port Company Limited has embarked on legal action against the Government of Sierra Leone for terminating its lease signed January 8 2021 to operate the railway and port between Tonkolili and Pepel in the Port Loko District.
Cabinet had approved the termination of the Agreement with Kingho to transfer the facilities to Timis’ ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms Limited. Kingho have therefore pursued a legal action in order to embarrass the Government having refused to consider backing out.
Section 2.03 of the Agreement states: “The Lessor and the Lessee agree that the Lessor reserves the right to engage another Railway and Port Operator to independently operate the Railway and Port after the first two years of the term herein granted, subject to a six months’ notice to the Lessee after the first two years (transition period).”
Since the two years of the Agreement has elapsed, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mohamed Lamin Tarawalley in a letter dated January 10 2023. It informed the Chief Executive Officer of Kingho Gilbert Zhao that the Government has “engaged another Railway and Port Operator to independently operate the Railway and Port.” He has already served a six months’ notice to Kingho Railway and Port to “vacate the demised properties….”
Investigations continue.
