The Internal Auditor in the Ministry of Education Science and Technology, Sia Lusanie, has told the Commission of Inquiry that 39,666 litres of fuel worth almost Le300 million was not accounted for 2017 in the Ministry. The Senior Auditor revealed the anomaly on Monday 5th August 2019, before Commissioner Biobele Georgewill. The witness said over Le519 million was issued to the Ministry vendor to purchase 86,666 litres of fuel for February 2017 to December 2017. She added in reviewing payment vouchers, they discovered only 47,000 litres of fuel was purchased amounting a little over Le282 million in an internal audit they conducted in 2017.
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Lusanie underscored, “The balance of 39,666 was neither recorded in the fuel register nor disclosed in the fuel reconciliation submitted for audit inspection.” The witness also said an over-payment was paid of Le2.633 billion for the second 50% of the 1,200 students at the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology. She said the MOU was never provided between the government and the University for audit inspection. The Senior Auditor said there were various payments amounting to over Le9.916 billion for school fee subsides for 2015/2016 academic year. This money was deposited into 14 banks but had no documentation, no indication of school names or student numbers. Payments made to Consultants and Contractors for the rehabilitation of FBC, totaling over Le72 million were made. According to the External Auditor Report of 2014, the State lawyer, Khadija Bangura, probed the grant-in-aid program. The witness said the program was fraught with irregularities and problems. She confirmed that 165 students that received Government grants had no identification numbers. Lusanie said the Government of Sierra Leone paid over Le467 million in West Africa Examination Council exam fees for 3,460 pupils across 51 private schools. During cross-examination by the lawyer for Person of Interest, Amadu Koroma, the witness said the Permanent Secretary, accountant, procurement officer, amongst others, were mentioned in their report; not the Minister. Commissioner Georgewill adjourned the Commission to Wednesday 7 August 2019.
MJB/5/8/19
By Mohamed J. Bah
Tuesday August 09, 2019.
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