Sierra Leone Telegraph: 19 July 2019:
The deputy chairman of Sierra Leone’s main opposition party – the All People’s Congress (APC) – Dr. Minkailu Mansaray, who is also the former minister of mines, has been informed by the police that he has until today, Friday 19 July 2019, to appear at the criminal investigations department (CID) for questioning for alleged conspiracy to defraud the people of Sierra Leone.
Writing in a letter to Dr Mansaray, dated 17th July 2019, the head of crime management at the CID – Gabriel Tommy said: “The criminal investigation department is currently investigating a case of conspiracy to defraud the people of Sierra Leone by the misapplication of several hundreds of millions of dollars by some government officers and private business individuals, by which means the people of Sierra Leone were thereby deprived of the inherent benefit they should have, if the misdirection of the funds had not taken place and the companies were managed well in the interest of the nation.
“In the light of the above you are requested to report at the criminal investigations department headquarters on or before Friday, 19 July 2019, at 10.00 hours for statement.”
Questions are being asked as to why the Anti-Corruption Commission is not investigating this case, instead of he police.
In another development, the commission of inquiry into alleged corruption and abuse of office by former public officials in the previous APC government, has published a notice, calling on all former ministers and senior public officials to declare their assets for the period 2007 to 2018, by 10th August 2019.
This is what the notice says:
I hope the Bio administration is doing this for the people of Sierra Leone, and not for their own pockets.
It is quite refreshing that one of the APC top guns has been summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department [CID]to answer questions related to the Ministry of Mines’role in the disappearance of millions of dollars generated by the Ministry – probably covering a period of ten years plus.
Minkailu Mansaray,in his capacity as minister of mines,should be the most well placed official to educate us on not only the disappearance of funds but large diamonds as well that went through his watchful eyes and well structured fingers.
His response to questions should spill the beans about so many people that for the first time the people of Sierra Leone will understand the invisible infrastructure built by APC to defraud us of our daily bread, which the Almighty gave us for free by way of diamonds,gold,bauxite,iron ore,etc etc.
One can only vaguely imagine the bewildering, almost crippling anxiety which the likes of Ernest Koroma, as head of government must be weathering right now in the knowledge that Minkailu Mansaray as minister of mines and deputy chairman of APC, may well be skillfully turned to an unwitting agent by a well trained investigator whose main diet is that of eating suspects alive – only that this time ACC would intervene to stop any swallowing.
This should answer the question as to why Ben Kaifala,the ACC boss,has made CID the thin edge of his investigation.The thick edge will come when CID pass on culpable information to ACC who have all the constitutional powers to unleash the killer blow on Minkailu Mansaray and those he fingers.
What is virtually palpable in all this is that mother Sierra Leone is about to stop crying to see some of her children so disappointing because of her permissiveness.One of them, Maada Bio,is now constantly counter attacking on her behalf to show her that he is the exception.
Mother Sierra Leone can now see a brighter future on the horizon which is making her reluctantly break into a half smile.
Brother David Samura, thank you for your eloquent and smart contribution. Thank God this crime and evidence is not from one of the SLPP chairman or the ministers, or else there would be different comments from brother Matturi instead.
The APC chairman Dr. Mansaray holding the DIAMOND in his right hand when his photo was taken, what else evidence this man is looking for? As you said, the COI have their mandate as well and they know what they are doing.
This seems to be a very serious matter. Holding a precious gem in the hand signals corruption with our diamonds. However, we will be watching and waiting for the outcome of the CID investigations. My concern with this affair is, why did the COI not summon Dr. Minkailu Mansaray? Instead, the CID is carrying out the preliminary investigations. Is it because of lack of evidence? We shall see and keeping our eyes on this issue.
Do not be confused with this issue. When you are, be mindful not to make conclusions about that which you admit is confusing to you. The police has never lost its constitutional mandate to investigate crimes. The COI has a specific mandate. Cases which already have a complainant with some prima facie evidence can be investigated by the police.