Former Agriculture Minister free from COI ‘wahala’

Politics

Sierra Leone: The Appeals Court of Sierra Leone has on Thursday 6th May 2021, upheld the appeal filed in by the former Minister of Agriculture Dennis K. Vandi, on the adverse findings and recommendations made against him by the Commission of Inquiry and by extension the government White Paper.

Mr Vandi, who was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology for six months, prior to his appointment by President Julius Maada Bio as Minister of Agriculture, felt aggrieved after he was identified in the Government White Paper as one of the people to return state resources for alleged misappropriation of public office.

After President Bio won the 2018 Presidential Election he instituted the Commissions of Inquiry in order to look into the dealings mainly on the activities of the past Government officials.

Dennis K. Vandi, was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education. Mr Vandi through his lawyer Pa -Momo Fofanah challenged the decision of the sole Commissioner, Justice Biobele Georgewill, who made adverse findings and recommendations against Mr Vandi.

Amongst their grounds of appeal, Lawyer Fofana said his client was never given the opportunity to be heard for such sensitive issue raised between himself and the late Minister of Education Minkailu Bah, which resulted in him being ordered to proceed on leave. He, added also that his client only served in the Ministry of Education from March 2016 to September 2016 but his name was however mentioned in the findings of the Commission’s Report as far back as 2008.

The Counsel for the Respondent, Robert Kowa based his argument on law and on whether there were adverse findings against the Appellants, adding that if there was any, he would be found as a collaborator.

He initially told the court that he wanted to know if within the period of investigation, when he served in the Ministry of Education, if he was implicated and if he had misappropriated any amount within that time.

In their ruling , the three Appeal Court Judges, Justice Adrian Fisher, Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens and Justice Ivan Sesay intimated that there were errors of fact in the analysis of the sole commissioner in looking at the said issue. They noted that they now have the mandate as a Court to determine if such errors are important.

Reading the ruling, Justice Fisher said having reviewed the evidence, the findings of the Sole Commissioner are flawed and not justifiable.

He ruled that ” This appeal is allow” and also set aside the findings and recommendations of the Sole Commissioner and White Paper. He went further to order the state to refund whatever money the appellant might have paid as a result of the findings if at all any had been paid.

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