The Court of Appeal Judges, Honourable Justices Komba Amanda, Fatmatta Bintu Alhadi (presiding) and Tonia Barnett on Monday 18th September, 2023 in agreement ordered that the property of the former Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Abdul Ignosi Koroma, be forfeited to the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL). It could be recalled that the Commission of Inquiry was set up by the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio in line with constitutional instrument No. 64of 2018, pursuant to Section 147 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No. 6 of 1991. Justice Biobele Georgewill was Chairman and Sole Commissioner charged with the responsibility to examine the assets and other related matters in respect of persons who served in the previous Koroma Administration.

The Appellant (Abdul Ignosi Koroma) through his lawyer, Ady Macauley, appealed the decision of the Justice Biobele Georgewill-led COI on ten grounds.
Abdul Ignosi Koroma was the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources in the APC led Government.

In their unanimous judgment, the Court of Appeal Judges stated that the Appellant’s allowances, salaries and other benefits were not commensurate to the massive house built at Old Railway Line, TeKo Road in Makeni City, Bombali District in the Northeast Region.“Appellant’s attempts to justify his acts were not sufficient to discharge the evidential burden,” the Court of Appeal Judges said.

According to Justice Biobele Georgewill, the value of the Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources’ massive house at Teko Road is Le6, 400,000,000.00 (Six Billion, Four Hundred Million Leones Old Notes) and therefore such whopping sum found to be above his legitimate means of income, allowances and other legal earnings.

The COI also discovered that the Deputy Minister refused to declare his assets, a breach of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 as amended. In addition, the COI in its March, 2020 report, especially with regards to the sale of shares in Sierra Rutile Company discovered that the actual processes were not followed. The intent was to reportedly dupe the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL). The Court of Appeal Judges upheld the findings made by the COI.

The State was represented by Robert Kowa Esq.
According to Justice Komba Kamanda, the costs of this appeal will be borne by the Appellant and to be taxed if not agreed.
Credit: Judiciary Communications,