By Alusine Fullah

Who is to account for $900,000 as many Sierra Leoneans have been asking since the conclusion of the June 24 general elections? Suspicion is hanging high on the air. According to a press release from the UNIFIER Media Team of Dr. Richard Konteh they have denied the allegation/ rumours going round on social media about Dr. Richard Conteh receiving $300,000 from Dr. Samura Kamara for the setting up of a Collation Center and $600,000 for the payment of Party Agents. The UNIFIER Media Team press statement states:

The attention of the UNIFIER Media Team has been drawn to a series of misleading reports on Social Media alleging that Dr. Richard Konteh received $300,000 from Dr. Samura Kamara for the setting up of a Collation Centre and $600,000 for the payment of Party Agents.

The UNIFIER Media Team wishes to state the following in order to put the records straight:

1. Dr. Richard Konteh did not receive $300,000 or any money from Dr. Samura Kamara for the setting up of a Collation Centre. Dr. Richard Konteh actually financed the Collation Centre that was set up in his hotel in Makeni. The 10 Laptops which were assigned to him for the Collation Centre in Makeni were returned to the National Secretary General immediately after Dr. SAMURA called him up and asked him to close the Collation Centre in Makeni on the 26th June 2023.
2. Dr. Richard Konteh did not receive $600,000 from Dr. Samura Kamara for the payment of Party Agents. Dr. Konteh only assisted the National Treasurer in making some of the initial payments and the report on same has since been submitted to the Treasurer and National Secretary General. The part payment was only effected because Dr. Konteh was directed at a NAC meeting to proceed with the part payment whilst the Party solicits additional funds to complete the payment. Those funds were never made available to complete the payment.

The UNIFIER Media Team wishes to make it known that Dr. Richard Konteh demonstrated the highest degree of loyalty and devotion to the APC Party and to the Dr. Samura Kamara Campaign. To therefore attempt to smear his hard earned reputation based on false accusations is truly unfortunate and does not augur well for our gracious Party.

A very close source for Forum Newspaper has this to say: “There are a lot of funds to be accounted for by the APC management. I made to understand that during the elections, there were huge funds from staunch APC supporters both home and abroad, but we did not see good use of those funds. For me APC lost the elections because they did not use the donated funds in the right purpose.

Looking at the foregoing press statement by UNIFIER Media Team, it is very vivid that it sounds defensive. In line with that we tried to contact other executives for this saga but all efforts went in fiasco.