By Ralph Sesay
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Priscilia Schwartz, has, in her submission to the ongoing Commissions of Enquiry in Freetown, disclosed that herself, the deputy Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Abdulia Bangura, renowned legal luminary and former Director of Public Prosecutions, Oladipo Robin-Mason, as lead counsel, Mr. Lahai Normo Farmah, lead counsel, Mr. Robert Kowah, senior counsel, Mr. Musa Mewah, senior counsel and former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Morie Lenghor, will represent and make the Government’s case on the ongoing Commissions of Enquiry.
She further told the Commissions of Enquiry that, the representation of lead counsels will not be limited and that the lead counsel will from time to time as and when necessary and with the leave of the Commissioners furnish the Commission with more lead counsels.
Mrs. Priscilia Schwartz said that the three Commissions of Enquiry will adduce their evidence mainly from subsequent Audit Reports and other public documents. These documents, according to her, will reveal major infractions in the management of state resources, particularly in the award of contracts and the resulting financial loss associated with such contracts.
The Attorney General also disclosed that they would, as counsels representing the state, expose instances of abuse of power of state officials that have caused loss to the Government or undermined the efficiency of state institutions.
She emphasized that they, on the Government side, also understand the need and do expect that persons, who might be of interest to the Commissions, have counsels to represent them in line with international best practice.
She informed that, as stated in the practice directions of the Commission, Government has adequately provided accommodation and other necessary facilities for such counsels with a view to enable them to speedily represent their clients.
Immediately after the submission of the Attorney General, lead counsels led four witnesses, including the Secretary to the Commissions of Enquiry, officials from the Cabinet Secretariat, Auditor General’s Office and the Government Printing Department.
The witnesses submitted relevant documents; including the list of Ministers and Deputy Ministers that served the Government of Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2018 and subsequent Auditor General’s Report. They also answered questions relating to their respective functions in the offices mentioned.
The lead defence counsels requested for a week’s adjournment so as to be able to present more witnesses, which was granted by the Commissioners and hearings were adjourned to 11th February, 2019.
Four Testify At Commissions of Inquiry
