20th DECEMBER, 2023*

CID, ACC Backtracked On Pressure Tactics: change same day appointment

Following public widespread uproar relating to the ugliness of inviting former President Koroma both to the CID and the ACC on the same day, the belligerent Bio-led SLPP has slightly backtracked by revising their pressure tactics and assult on the reputation of the statesman.

Contrary to what the Ministry of Information and Civic Education tweeted on Tuesday that the Criminal Investigation Devepartment (CID)’s questioning would resume today, Wednesday December 20, competent sources at that department have intimated that there will be ‘no movement’ today.

‘The authorities have again shifted former President Koroma’s visit to the CID to Friday December 22’, a source said. Equally reliable sources at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), inform that the ACC’s invitation has also been pushed to tomorrow, Thursday 21 December.

Since the events of Sunday November 26, the state has tried hard to implicate former Presidemt Koroma in what it now describes as ‘an attempted failed coup’ but analysts say: “so far there is no evidence showing that the statesman was involved in such a plot. “Apart from the circumstantial evidence that some of his current and former bodyguards were involved, there is nothing on the former President”, a CID source maintains.

This is a view that has been confirmed by the Ministry of Information and Civc Education in one of it’s tweets. “While we do not yet have evidence that he was involved but the former President is still helping the police with the investigation”, the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah was quoted as saying.

It is worthy to note that the same day former President Koroma received his first invitation from the CID for questioning, the Court of Appeals which had received President Koroma’s appeal over a year earlier, was also suddenly empanneled. President Koroma’s appeal was against adverse findings against him by the equally controversial Commissions Of Inquiry (COI). Curiously, the Appeals Court upheld the adverse COI findings and ordered him to repay 70 billion Leones, 3 million United States Dollars, and 12 Million United States Dollars. The Court further ordered the ACC to investigate the former President on charges of ‘abuse of office’.

But what appears as a pursuit of an all-out assault on former President Koroma, the state institutions, which observers say are highly politicised, are forgetting to coordinate their activities.

“It is embarrassing that state institutions could fumble appointments on such sensitive matters”, said a media analyst who prefers anonymity.

JUST IN – WEDNESDAY 20th DECEMBER

Contrary to what the Ministry of Information and Civic Education tweeted on Tuesday that the Criminal Investigation Department (CID)’s questioning would resume today, Wednesday December 20, competent sources at that department have intimated that there will be ‘no movement’ today. CID questioning has now been moved to Friday while the the ACC invitation shifted to Thursday December 21