As the Bio Government finally unveils the Commission of Enquiry, into the activities of the former APC Government, close sources within the ranks of the APC have intimated this press that Dr. Abdulia Conteh, renowned Sierra Leone lawyer and one of the architects of the Sierra Leone 1991 Constitution, with vast experience in the legal environment of most countries in the sub region, is set to lead the APC’s defense team with a galaxy of distinguished and reputable lawyers both within and outside Sierra Leone.
Speaking to the nightwatch last night, a senior member of the APC party disclosed that their lawyers, both within and outside the country, have been carefully studying the legal processes around the establishment of the Commission of Enquiry and have been able to identify a number of anomalies and maneuvers.
These anomalies, he went on, are already being shared by a number of prominent and credible Sierra Leonean groups and organizations, including the country’s Bar Association.
It will be recalled that, the Sierra Leone Bar Association had written a letter to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice raising a number of legal issues with the Constitutional Instruments governing the Commission of Enquiry that have been hurriedly passed into law after a very stiff, thorough and fierce debate from a well organized APC opposition side.
Responding to the Bar Association’s position, during a news conference at State House in Freetown, Madam Priscilla Schwartz, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, attempted to downplay the Bar’s position by informing journalists that she is not very aufait with the Bar’s position on the legal instruments that have now become law, but she assured all that the Commission will be fair and that any issues having to do with prosecution will be dealt with separately in a competent court of law using the rules of evidence.
As we approach the start of the Commission, it is becoming clearer by the day that the Commission of Enquiry had failed to address a number of issues raised by Sierra Leoneans around the setting up of the Commission.
The Chief Minister, Professor David Francis and the Minister of Justice were inundated with series of questions from the press at the official launching of the Commission of Enquiry at State House, all hovering around very sensitive issues, which the public continues to raise, like the cost to be incurred by government on judges, venue and equipment, the open-ended nature of the Commission, exclusion of the High Court rules of evidence and the need to bring on board Permanent Secretaries and other players within the new government but who were very critical in the last administration.
As one listens to both presentations from the Chief Minister and the Attorney General, especially around the issues of recovering stolen wealth and extradition of former APC big guns, it is quite clear that the Bio Government is still struggling to get international and other bilateral support to bring back home, if necessary, all former APC fugitives, including whatever stolen wealth, largely because the Bio Government has not been able to prove to the international community that the Commission will be genuinely free from witch hunt and intimidation.
Many Sierra Leoneans have blasted the Chairman of the Transition Team, Professor David Francis and the SLPP Government for already perceiving all APC big guns, including former President Koroma, as criminals even before the start of the Commission of Enquiry, coupled with an illegal ban from the lame duck Sierra Leone Police on all APC functionaries from travelling outside the country.
Many Sierra Leoneans welcome the Commission of Enquiry and the new government anti corruption crusade, but are also very apprehensive that this will be selectively done to witch hunt APC big guns.