By Ralph Simeon Sesay
The state on Thursday led three witnesses (Pa Santigie Kargbo, Pa Santigie Sesay and Pa Hassan Sesay) at the Justice Biobele Commission of Inquiry.
The witnesses from Masalia, Masourie and Baker Curve Villages, all in the Koya Chiefdom, are the respective heads of the three land owning families that provided the Youth Affairs Ministry with the 250 acres of land for the National Youth Farm Project.
All witnesses told the Commission that they were approached by the then Minister of Youth Affairs, Alimamy Kamara, for the said land and that the minister had clearly told them that they will, among other benefits, be only compensated for the land.
Pa Santigie Sesay of Masalia Village told the Commission that he was the one who spearheaded the land agreement together with other families from the other villages. He consented that they reached an agreement with the Minister for the land.
The land owning families further mentioned that the Paramount Chief of Koya Chiefdom, P.C. Bai Kompa Bomboli II, was aware and present in all dealings relating to the land.
The witnesses went further in acknowledging that they were paid a total of seven hundred million leones (Le 750,000,000) in three installments for the 250 acres of land.
Pa Santigie Sesay openly told the Commission that all monetary transactions were done by the Project Manager for the Youth Farm Project, Mustapha Turay, on behalf of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Government.
Mr. Turay, the witness continued, had deducted certain portions of the moneys which they could not state on the pretext that such monies were the government share. They accused Mr. Turay, the Project Manager, of having received ten million leones (Le10,000,000) from them, in each payment of the three installments made to them, as his own share.
The witnesses refused to acknowledge the conveyances presented to them by the Commission, noting that they were not the same with the ones they have appended their signatures on before they were paid.
Project Manager for the Youth in Agriculture Project and the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Adikalie Samura, Finance Officer and the Manager for the Youth In Fisheries project had all testified to the Commission on the respective youth projects under the Ministry of Youth Affairs.
The person of interest is fully represented by Lawyers Ady Macauley and others.