By Ralph Sesay
It is becoming clearer, by the day,that the determination of the New Direction, to set up an independent corruption court to try corruption cases in the country, might delay the prosecution of corrupt cases in the county.
Credible sources within the ACC have indicated that preparations for the setting up of the special corruption court in the country are at an advanced stage.
Upon assuming office,the ACC boss,sources say, immediately met with the Chief Justice anddiscussions towards setting up of the corruption featured highly.
The Chief Justice and the Judiciary are expected,within the shortest possible time,to select a competent judge with proven record to sit in the court alongside a foreign judge.
The ACC has also met with Ministry of Works and Public Assets officials with a view to get them to rehabilitate the facilities of the former Special Court for Sierra Leone, which will host the court. A source from the Ministry has disclosed that preparations for the commencement of the rehabilitations works,at the facilities,are at an advanced stage with Bill of Quantities and other preparatory works already in progress.
The ACC has also, according to sources, received the special blessings of the President to recruit more personnel to add to its little over 200 personnel against an Executive Order earlier on issued by the Presidency to stop all recruitments.
Saturday has been added to the normal work days of the Commission and plans are also underway to add Sunday in order to speed up these investigations.
It is also reported that the ACC has also been pursuing the preventive approach through the Systems and Processing Review Department,which looks at setting up systems in MDAs that will prevent corruption.
The recent tour conducted by the ACC boss, to the regional offices, has provided him with a firsthand knowledge on the challenges facing staff members of the Commission.
The setting up of the court, according to the ACC, is to speed up prosecution of corruption matters which has been a key challenge.
It will be recalled that the ACC has got a number of high profile investigations mainly involving former officials of the APC.
The Institute of Governance Reform has, in a previous report, questioned the issue of timing in the investigation of corruption cases and it is a concern that is also shared by the current ACC, whichis determined to see that, at least, a month will be sufficient for the prosecution of a corruption matter.
Many believe the ACC has bitten more than it could chew. The past few weeks have seen rigorous investigation and arrest of public officials of the last regime. When will these individuals have their day in court against the backdrop that our courts are still faced with a barrage of problems when it comes to the administration of justice?
Most Sierra Leoneans have welcomed the corruption crusade, which is now targeting mainly officials of the previous regime, but there are huge apprehensions that the fight has not cast its net wide to bring on board officials in the current regime,that could have played a vital role in the past administration.
The crusade has also, in the opinion of many, set a very high bar for officials of the present administration who are not likely to escape from the wrath of the new ACC boss.