Rashid Toma Bangura
The Solicitor General of the Ministry of Justice Lawyer Robert B. Koroma has Thursday 1st December 2022 informed newsmen that thirty-one (31) houses belonging to past officials of the All People’s Congress will be seize as recommended by Judges of the Commissions of Inquiry in the Government’s Whitepaper.
Addressing journalist yesterday – Thursday 1st December 2022 at Ministry of Justice’s conference room at Lamina Sankoh Street Lawyer R. B. Kowa disclosed that government has already seized eight (8) out of the thirty-one (31) houses that are to be confiscated. He added that there is no stay of execution of the said properties confiscated.
According to the State Solicitor General they have confiscated three (3) houses of the late former National Telecommunication Commission (NATCOM) Chairman Momoh Konteh with houses situated at 8 Robert Street, Ataya Base, Back off former Old-Skool nightclub Hill top, community, off Hill Station, Sussex village, adding that they have also seized two houses belonging to the former Minister of Transport and Aviation Balogun Logus Koroma with houses situated at Al-Sheik Drive, Gbangbayilla, Hill Station and No. 1 Takoradi Corner, Yengema Kono.
He stated that that they have also confiscated a house of former Minister of Education Dr. Minkailu Bah, situated at No.11 Belewa Drive off Lumley Road, Freetown, adding that all of the aforementioned confiscated properties have been handed over to the National Asset and Government Property Commission which is an Office of the President.
Lawyer R. B. Kowa stated there are 110 appeals filed in the Appeals Court by Persons of Interest and they have already dealt with 40 cases and 64 appeal cases are on record.
He stated that they are having 10 appeal cases filed in the Supreme Court awaiting hearing as the Chief Justice to empanel the judges. He said that all the properties confiscated are now state owned as the owners have forfeited the houses they acquired with their unexplained wealth. Lawyer R. B. Kowa said they have also secured an order of cancellation of documents. He noted that they are not pursuing those who have returned state wealth, adding that the COI was divided into Assets and Finance investigations and they are executing recommendations of the COI Judges and Government Whitepaper. He informed that they have secured an order for the properties to be vested in the state as the properties are now properties of the state.
The State Solicitor added that government have recovered a whopping amount of Le10 billion (OLD LEONES) couple with a substantial amount of U.S. Dollars. He said some Persons of Interests who were found culpable have already decided to re-pay monies stolen than their names go public, adding that payment made into recovery account is up to tune of Le 13-15 billion (OLD LEONES) with a loan of US12 million dollars to be regularized. He said all the properties and monies recovered by them have handed over to President Julius Maada Bio
