By Ibrahim Kabba Turay
Former Minister of Trade & Industry and one of the leading Flag-bearer aspirants of the All People’s Congress (APC) Party, Dr. Richard Konteh, on Thursday 9th February, 2023, won his COI appeal matter at the Court of Appeal of Sierra Leone.
Dr. Konteh is former Minister of Trade and Industry in the former President Ernest Bai Koroma APC government, who was accused and found guilty of corruption by a Commission of Inquiry established by President Julius Maada Bio to investigate the affairs of the former government.
After President Bio won the 2018 Presidential Election he instituted the Commissions of Inquiry in order to look into the dealings mainly on the activities of the past Government officials.
In their ruling , the three Appeal Court Judges, Justice Adrian Fisher, Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens and Justice Ivan Sesay intimated that there were errors of fact in the analysis of the sole commissioner in looking at the said issue.
They noted that they now have the mandate as a Court to determine if such errors are important.
Reading the ruling, Justice Fisher said having reviewed the evidence; the findings of the Sole Commissioner are flawed and not justifiable.
He said the findings and recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) against Dr. Richard be set aside.
He ruled that” This appeal is allow” and also set aside the findings and recommendations of the Sole Commissioner and White Paper. He went further to order the state to refund whatever money the appellant might have paid as a result of the findings, if at all any had been paid.
