Following National Assets and Government Property Commission (NAGPC) investigations into the false ownership of HS 19 by a former staff of the Immigration Department, Anthony Aruna, the commission forwarded a report on its findings to the Anti-Corruption Commission – ACC for necessary actions.
NAGPC instituted investigations into the matter to ascertain the ownership of HS19, immediately when the Commission got wing of what is being widely described as several fraudulent attempts by an ex-civil servant of the Sierra Leone Immigration Department – Anthony Aruna trying claim the property HS19. Report on HS19 findings is currently with the ACC awaiting the anti-graft agency’s possible prosecution in a competent court of law.
This is so because the Assets Commission and the ACC are tied to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the prosecution of offenders attempting to claim or have already illegally owned government property.
One such offender awaiting the ACC net is the former Deputy Secretary, Sierra Leone Immigration Department, Anthony Aruna. Aruna, according to findings conducted by FORUM NEWS SL investigators, is the subject of the said investigation relating to a government quarter situated at HS19, Hill Station, Freetown.
In a continued scramble over who owns what then ensured a tense legal battle between the former Deputy Secretary of Immigration Department, Anthony Aruna and a Nigerian national, Charles O. Obishill for the property in question at HS19.
Reliable sources within the public assets commission at the ACC are that Anthony Aruna will sooner than later be indicted by the ACC to tender his documents with regards the ownership of the disputed HS19 quarter.
In an attempt to reach the ex-civil servant, Anthony Aruna Thursday July 20, 2023, via mobile phone number +232 78-700-323 at around 12:45 noon for his side of the allegations, confirmed his name to FORUM NEWS SL as Anthony Aruna, saying that he is yet to receive any invite from the ACC with regards the said government quarter at SH.19, Hills Station, Freetown.
During a mobile phone conversation with one of FORUM NEWS SL’ investigators, Anthony Aruna vehemently denied that he doesn’t know any personality by the name of Charles O. Obishill.
In a bid further probe the individual who initially told this medium that he is Anthony Aruna, suddenly denied his own name, identity saying that it was a wrong number and immediately turned off his phone.
Documentary evidence available to this medium accurately informed that the said matter was before Magistrate Court No.7 and the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 2 respectively between the years 2000-2002 respectively.
Correspondences from the Ministry of Works and Public Assets to both Brewah & Co, Barristers and Solicitors, Legal Consultants Notary Public Mahiteh Chambers and Magistrate Mark Ngeba, Court No.2, Pademba Road Magistrate Court are that on 13 and 30 March, 2020 by the then Deputy Minister of Work and Public Assets, Hon. Phillip Tetemah Tondoheh among other things clarified that the HS19 quarter in question is a registered burnt government quarter with no objection letter to Anthony Aruna.
The letter mentioned that the said quarter was originally assigned to Anthony Aruna when he was serving as Deputy Secretary at the Sierra Leone Immigration Department.
The letter continued after the quarter got burnt down, Aruna applied to the Ministry to erect a temporal structure but was not given a ‘No Objection Letter’ that is, to personally possess the said quarter – HS19.
In the letter, Hon. Phillip Tetemah Tondoheh revealed that the matter between Anthony Aruna, Rugiatu Aruna and Charles O. Obishill was before him in the capacity as Deputy Minister of Works and Public Assets July of 2019, when he looked at all documents, the letter reads.
The letter disclosed that Anthony Aruna was not with a ‘No Objection Letter’ from the Ministry of Work and Public Assets nor a letter of lease from the Ministry of Lands, Housing and the Environment.
“Later in August, Aruna went to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and the Environment and got a lease letter from the Permanent Secretary, the process was wrong” the letter states.
Normally, after receiving a ‘No Objection Letter’ from the Ministry of Works and Public Assets, then the person can now go to the Ministry of Lands, Housing and the Environment for a lease letter, Aruna did otherwise, the letter justified.
The letter continued: “the said quarter HS19 is still the property of the Ministry of Works and Public Assets and it is enlisted among the burnt quarters”.
The letter sighted the Civil Service Code for allocation of Government quarters, civil servants or occupants are allowed to lease/rent the quarter or place of within the precincts of the quarters, for which Aruna went against the legal requirements by having an agreement with Charles O. Obishill.
In a letter dated 8 December 2021, National Assets and Government Commission summoned Aruna to the commission in accordance with Article 8 of the National Assets and Government Property Commission (NAGPC) Act No. 2 of the 1990, Friday 12 November 2021 at noon, conference room, Ground floor, Ministry of Works and Public Assets, New England Ville, Freetown. In another letter dated 20 December 2021, National Assets and Government Property Commission advised whom it may concern that no payment of rent or whatsoever must be made in respect of government quarter HS19, which was fraudulently converted to 26 Regent Road until pending investigations are over with regards the said government property.
The National Assets and Government’s Property Commission Act mandates the commission in consultation with the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and the Inspector–General of Police to take any appropriate action to stop, check or recover any national asset or Government property.
