Sierra Leone Telegraph: 4 December 2019:
A statement published yesterday by Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), that it will not be indicting the Secretary General of the country’s main opposition APC party – Dr Osman Yansaneh, after serious allegations of corruption and impropriety were made against him, including receiving salary as High Commissioner to Ghana, even though he was in Freetown most of the time managing his party’s affairs, has been received with mixed reactions.
Many are questioning the veracity and integrity of the ACC’s investigations into the allegations. Some are referring to the ACC’s decision not to indict as “a political cover up” to avoid confrontation with the leadership of the opposition APC.
But the ACC in its statement, says its is satisfied that there is no case for Yansaneh to answer. This is the ACC statement:
“The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), in January 2019, received a report alleging that AMBASSADOR OSMAN FODAY YANSANEH (Photo), Sierra Leone’s former High Commissioner to Ghana, who was also serving as Ambassador to Burkina Faso, and Togo, between 19th November, 2007, and 11th August, 2015, deliberately abandoned his duty station, whilst he was still designated as Ambassador and High Commissioner, and was mostly in Sierra Leone, but continued receiving salary and other emoluments.
“Following this report, the ACC initiated investigations into allegations of Abuse of Office, and Misappropriation of Public Funds, both contrary to Sections 42 and 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008, respectively. Accordingly, various officials from the Accountant-General’s Office; the Finance Ministry; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Sierra Leone’s High Commission in Ghana; and AMBASSADOR YANSANEH himself, were interviewed.
“The investigations, among other things, revealed the following:
• That Ambassador Yansaneh was appointed High Commissioner to the Republic of Ghana on the 19th November 2007 and recalled on 11th August 2015;
• That he was appointed Secretary General of the All People’s Congress (APC) in August 2013 while still in his post as ambassador;
• Ambassador Yansaneh insists that his absence from post was at the behest of the Former President who wanted him to be in Sierra Leone for various reasons;
• That he finally returned to Sierra Leone in January 2016 following the repatriation;
• That during his tenure as Ambassador to Ghana, Ambassador Yansaneh was absent from his duty post for a total of 708 (seven hundred and eight days);
• That during this period he was receiving full salaries, and the Head of Chancery, Mrs. Remoe-Doherty, was receiving full acting allowance for serving as Charge d’Affaire of the Embassy when Ambassador Yansaneh was away;
• That the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation did not have any policy guidelines on the conduct of officers on foreign missions with regards absenteeism; and
• That Ambassador Yansaneh received salary for the month of January 2016, after his end of mission in January 2016, as evidenced by the LCP, dated 31st January 2016, and did not receive any other salary after this period.
“The investigations further exposed risky practices in the management of Public Funds; an absence of a systematic and appropriate monitoring of attendance; and the lack of functional standards in Sierra Leone’s foreign embassies and high commissions.
“Consequently, we believe many foreign state employees have been taking advantage of the lack of policy guidelines militating against bad practices, including, but not limited to, staying away from their post for onerous periods, and continue receiving salaries; while other staff normal salaries receive hefty acting allowances in their places, leading government to serious unnecessary financial loss.
“While the Commission finds this state of affairs a cause for concern and needs policy intervention, after due consideration of the statements obtained from various players, analysis of the legal and regulatory framework for foreign service, and the circumstances involved, the Commission has concluded that though the actions of AMBASSADOR YANSANEH were clearly preposterous and a bad example for public service, the necessary evidential threshold required to proceed with prosecution has not been attained. Therefore, in accordance with Section 7(f), (g), and, (h); and Section 8 of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008, the ACC Prevention Department shall engage the Ministry and relevant stake holders to discuss and plan for a system review with a view to not only avoiding such anomalies, but to also give clear guidelines and directives to deal with the aforesaid operational weaknesses in Sierra Leone’s Foreign Service.
“The Commission wishes to reassure the public of its unshaken resolve to fight corruption at all levels. For further enquiries, contact” – End of statement.
Questions are today being asked as to whether president Bio is using selective justice, in pursuing former senior public officials accused of corruption.
My fellow brother Mr. FIL BOTHI, thank you so much. I wish that I knew you personally because, all of your commentaries are well educative. I see no contradiction in your articles. Your follow up is essential indeed.
Mr. Foday Yansaneh is a dangerous man; and as I’ve said it before that, this man should be held accountable for all his actions. I see no reasons for the ACC to spare this man of his evil acts toward the country and it’s people. High Commissioner to Ghana, who was also serving as Ambassador to Burkina Faso, and Togo, between 19th November, 2007, and 11th August, 2015, deliberately abandoned his duty station, whilst he was still designated as Ambassador and High Commissioner, and was mostly in Sierra Leone, but continued receiving salary and other emoluments.
“Following this report, the ACC initiated investigations into allegations of Abuse of Office, and Misappropriation of Public Funds, both contrary to Sections 42 and 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008, respectively. Accordingly, various officials from the Accountant-General’s Office; the Finance Ministry; Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; Sierra Leone’s High Commission in Ghana; and AMBASSADOR YANSANEH himself, were interviewed”
ACC needs to reverse their decision. Are we scared to name some of these guys as criminals? Can we follow the examples of the West and the USA? There are many former gov’t officials that need to be charged and indicted. Again thank you Mr. FIL BOTHI.
Young4na,it is more than a shame,it is baffling as it is stupefying.All Sierra Leoneans with a thinking brain should feel embarrassed that even in the 21st century our nation has a sloppy system of dealing with the escapade of so-called diplomats like Foday Yansaneh,whose patriotism is at best questionable.
But the person who cavalierly allowed this whole sordid affair to occur was/is Earnest Koroma,who came to see himself as an unchallenged autocrat, ready to pulvarise anybody who stood in his way,otherwise somebody would have had the courage to point out to him that he was muddling up our foreign service.
Our national pride stands severely dented in the eyes of the world.We are knocking on 60 since independence and our behaviour can only still be best described as infantile.When Earnest Koroma declared during his campaign for his first term that if elected he would run the country “like a business”,he gave most of us hope until we found out that the proceeds from the business would be heading into his deep pockets.
The question now is what is the Bio administration intend to do to bring our foreign service to standards befitting the 21st century to help us deal severely with the likes of Yansaneh in the future who ride us roughly to riches since we pay them for doing nothing? Oh mother Salone,do you still have anymore tears to shed, seeing your children so unproductive and backward in the midst of all the wealth you have given us?
It’s indeed a shame that the ACC couldn’t find any enacted laws that could have lead to corrupt charges for such mischievous actions done by the ambassador. The widespread use of such corrupt and mischievous behavior cannot be denied in the past decades and counting. I personally know several people who were working for the Salone government, used dubious study leave arrangements, migrated to the U.S, worked for several years while still receiving salaries from the Salone government.
Even in Salone, there are widespread reports of ghost workers, receiving salaries but never ever physically been in their place of employment. If the fight against corruption is to gain headways, we urgently need laws enacted to curtail such corrupt practices.
It feels great for those with clean hands to be vindicated by the same terrible voices of those whose hatred,malicious and vehement desires were to condemn,tarnish,diminish,and humiliate the innocent.Oh Happy Day! Our Noble Secretary General will no longer be scrutinized under the grievous lenses of tribalism and wickedness,ever again. Yup,he will forever be a free man….Free like the mild Harmattan winds,that soars,roams,and blows without restraint – Free like a newly born,fragile Nightingale,trying out its vocal chords, singing in joy for the first time – Free like a young cub,left far behind by a Pride of Lions to fend for itself,killing a prey for the first time.
What a glorious moment this is! Free forever, like an Eaglet,jumping off a cliff for the first time,lost in awe,and wonder,at seeing the majestic beauty of the blue Oceans below. What a satisfying,fulfilling moment this is…Nuff Respect to you Sir,for your courage,and keeping your integrity,and credibility in tact,and for proving the haters,and your detractors wrong….Rising Sun Will Rise Again.
“There are many forms of corruption and abuse of office in Sierra Leone, but this must go down in history as one of the most bizarre. Here you have Sierra Leone’s ambassador to Ghana – Osman Yassaneh, also acting as the Secretary General of the ruling APC party, who never took up office in Accra to serve his country and people, but yet receiving pay as an ambassador – along with all the privileges and entitlements that goes with the post. Shameful and corrupt to say the least.
This week, the not so ambassadorial Yassaneh, who is one of the most powerful men in the ruling APC was in Accra, Ghana, perhaps for the first time in his official capacity as ambassador, to pack up and quit an office he never occupied.”- Sierra Leone Telegraph 23 January 2016 article
The ACC Act might not have been drafted in such a way to encompass this kind of Abuse of Authority. It is also possible that the ACC did not consider one of the crimes under the ACC 2008 Acts which is gaining advantage FOR one self. This Press Release did not mention that avenue in its investigations. In the period that Ambassador Yasaneh was absent from his post, he was pursuing both his party interest and at the same time his personal interest to wit reading for his law degree.
The so called civil society organization should take it from whether the ACC mandate stopped by asking the court to determine as to whether or not Yasaneh should not refund the two years salary and other emoluments that he received while he was busy doing something else.
Where is NONPARTISAN? She predicted something in the thread of that 23 January 2016 article in the Sierra Leone Telegraph about Victor Foh’s appointment as VP as a con game in the likelihood that EBK did not get his third term ambition. Everything in that comment turned out to be true.
The allegations against Ambassador Yansaneh in the article are very straightforward and easy to investigate. The fact that the ACC did not find anything that would INDICT Ambassador Yansaneh is no surprise to me. The good thing behind all what is happening is that, no one will be spared from investigations/indictments by the ACC when it comes to CORRUPTION. There is no doubt in my mind that, the ACC made the right decision after carefully looking into the matter. GOD BLESS the ACC and GOD BLESS AMBASSADOR Yansaneh.
Sierra Leone,my only home,is a place where untouchable hero’s,and Legends are born!(lol)The ACC has ignited a bomb on its own people,even though their intention was for it to be dropped in enemy territory,and scatter them to pieces.(lmao) The good,the bag,ugly,weird,and treacherous are all formidable spirits,struggling like desperate men sinking in quicksand,to find a solid footing,in our beloved Sierra Leone.Our Secretary General,a trusted man,walks away a free man,because he has done nothing wrong – live with it!
Although your plans were to see him in shackles,and chains,being dragged in emotional pangs of pain,the diligent hand of Fate,couldn’t wait,until it was too late,to declare him completely innocent.Negligent,he may have been,perhaps,but surely not corrupt,like the SLPP criminal Cabal, posing as Priests,and religious Monks(lmao) The Legendary APC will live forever,despite the insufferable insults,threats,bullying,and intimidations,it is being subjected to on a daily basis….that glorious name can never be erased – I’m sure of it! Rising Sun Will Rise Again
This is a crazy piece.