The National Telecommunications Company has disclosed to journalists, during the weekly press briefing in Freetown, that they have entered into a settlement agreement with Orange Mobile Company over the November 17th, 2018 Sim Box Fraud, that amounted to 376 million leones.
The Director General of NATCOM, Mr. Hinga Massaquoi, noted that the total number of Sim Cards detected from Orange Sierra Leone amounted to 914. This, he went on, was what was used according to Mr. Massaquoi to determine the fines.
The fines, he went on, were made pursuant to the 2009 Sim registration Act of Sierra Leone. Africell was ordered to pay in forty five (45) days’ time effective March, 28th 2019.
The NATCOM DG downplayed the seriousness of the involvement of Orange in the criminal enterprise to a point that such a huge number of sim cards could be detected in the fraud and noted they are quite satisfied as a Commission on the number of reforms the company has made to avoid such an occurrence in future.
This huge embarrassment for the company, which is international, is coming at a time when the mobile company has introduced and launched a 4G service in the capital City Freetown six (6) months after their rivals Africell had introduced the service. The company, since taking over of the new management, has spent over fifty-five United States dollars (USD55,000) on the modernization and expansion of its network with 94 new sites across the country.
Mr. Massaquoi used the occasion to disclose that the Commission took a two pronged approach to deal with the Sim Box fraud that hit the country on the 17th November, 2018, but, as a Commission, Mr. Massaquoi continued, they had concentrated on the regulatory issues leaving the criminal aspect for the court to deal.
The DG however noted that one of the measures mobile companies have taken was to remove sim cards hawkers from the streets. He noted that they had realized that some street hawkers are not doing business on behalf of the mobile network operators.
The NATCOM DG told journalist that sim box fraud is not in the interest of the mobile network operators as its makes them lose very huge sums of money.
As a Commission, Mr. Massaquoi noted, they are ready to ensure that the mobile network operators deliver suitable services to their customers.
“We are monitoring the quality of calls and other necessary issues which the services mobile networks provide, and we have an intention to make public our findings,” the Director General noted.
The Chairman National Telecommunications Company, who also doubles as Chairman and Leader of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, Dr Alex Prince Harding, earlier on told the news conference that they are making frantic efforts as a commission to minimize fraud in the communications industry.
He continued that the role of the regulators of mobile networks all over the whole is to open up the market to attract more players rather than to create stringent laws that will scare away potential investors.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Rado Swarray, assured all that they are in discussions with Mobile network operators towards the reduction of data tariffs online with the SALCAB reduction and that they have been assured by Orange Sierra Leone to increase 50% of data bundles for the same price.
The Deputy Minister of Information, Solomon Jamiru, gave an update of the President’s recent tour to the United Arab Emirates and other activities of the Ministry.
On behalf of the plaintiff, he has reminded the Attorney General that compliance with court orders is strict and absolute except such orders are stayed or set aside.
“As Attorney General and Minister of Justice, you provide oversight regarding the preservation of the fundamental supremacy of the law and the non- interference with the administration of justice,” Mr. Sesay noted.
He urged the AG, as titular head of the Bar, to protect the sanctity of court orders and the execution of court processes, which is within her province.
The letter notes that the conduct of the Minister does not only constitute an act of contempt but falls below the expected integrity of a public officer and a flagrant abuse of his position.
The barrister representing the plaintiff noted that the conduct of the Minister tends to put the current administration in bad light, especially when the Minster had threatened one Jalloh, who had gone to serve him with police arrest and death.
Mr. Sesay concluded by noting that the letter serves to put the AG on notice in the light of the dignity of her office as provided by law, that by his instructions, civil and criminal proceedings are contemplated against the Minister, without prejudice to the action the ACC may take, which is an institution providing oversight regarding the preservation of the integrity of public officers and the abuse of their positions.
Lawyer Hemor Sesay has also called on the Anti-Corruption Commission to act with the view of preserving the integrity of public offices and officers and referred to the case as a test case for the ACC.
Over Sim Box Fraud… Mobile Regulator Enters Le376M Settlement Agreement With Orange SL
