The Executive Director, Programme Manager and Finance Officer of The Needy Today, a local NGO, were alleged to have misappropriated Le300 million meant for vulnerable groups affected by the Ebola outbreak in Makeni. According to State Prosecution, Ebola funds were fraudulently withdrawn from The Needy Today bank account at Rokel Commercial Bank, between August 2015 to January 2016 by the accused persons.
On Wednesday 24 June 2017, Umar Sesay, the first prosecution witness, said several fraudulent bank transfers were made into a private account owned by Elizebeth Lebbie and Unisa Kamara.
The witness further informed the Court about several documents signed by the accused in obtaining funds from international donors for the fight against the Ebola virus disease. The accused person, were also accused of bribing Sulaiman Bah, an internal auditor with Goal SL, Le 3 million to discontinue an audit report on the project.
The accused persons’ bail was initially revoked by the Court despite the initial bail granted by Anti-Corruption Commission during the preliminary investigation.
Last week, the voluntary caution statements obtained from the accused were tendered by police witness, David Turay. In the respective police statements, the accused persons denied the allegation of misappropriation and embezzlement.
Meanwhile, the prosecution has set to bring forward other witnesses as the matter continues on15 November 2017.
SV/10/11/17
By Sylvia Villa
Tuesday November 14, 2017.
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