It is uncommon for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to indict a sitting Member of Parliament and this is a seeming fact in the case of the current Chief Whip of the Fifth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Hon. Dickson Momoh Rogers, who was named but not indicted for his involvement in the alleged misappropriation of forty nine thousand bags of rice donated by the Chinese Government to the People of Sierra Leone.
Hon. Dickson Rogers, according to allegations, was given some of the said rice which he took to Moyamba, the ACC Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala, said at a press conference on Tuesday, 31st March, 2020.
Unlike Hon. Rogers, Alpha Osman Timbo, former Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and Labour Ministry, Deputy Minister, MBSSE, Emily K. Gogra MBSSE, Permanent Secretary MBSSE, Charles T. Kamanda, Director of Nutrition School Feeding, MBSSE, Mamusu Massaquoi and a business woman, Zainab Binta Kamara, were all slammed several counts charges for corruption related offences, including misappropriation of public property, which is contrary to Section 36(1) of the ACC Act No.12 of 2008.
Apparently, the latest ACC indictments are seen as ones aiming at indicting SLPP tycoons in the Bio led administration, but how comes an MP got himself involved and yet not found wanting for at least a count indictment, is the question on the lips of many people.
What seems to have baffled many, the most, is the fact that Hon. Roger’s Constituency is in Pujehun District but took his alleged share of the misappropriated rice in question to Moyamba. How comes he had access to the rice, for what purpose and who actually gave it to him are questions begging for answers that the ACC itself has failed to disclose.
It is believed that the Chief Whip is not the only sitting MP that received this misappropriated rice.
Hon. Rogers is currently serving his second term as MP, and he is expected to know better having served as an opposition MP in the Fourth Parliament and now as Chief Whip in the Fifth Parliament.
The Chief Whip is supposed to be the custodian of discipline and sobriety inside and outside of Parliament.