Rokel Commercial Bank, formerly Barclays Bank, was among the best and biggest banks in Sierra Leone in terms of operations and corporate governance.
The three-man management committee instituted by the Tripartite Committee (The Bank of Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Finance and the National Commission for Privatization) headed by an honorable gentleman, Mr. John Dudley Okrafo-Smart (a Chartered Accountant) left the bank on the right trajectory without any scandal or negative publicity.
Mr. Okrafo-Smart was a respecter of the human rights of all employees (old and young). He was never accused of sexual harassment or seen as a squanderer of shareholders and depositors’ funds; he rather endeavored to protect their funds and provided a smooth path for the Bank’s recapitalization on which the Bank now thrives.
But few months after, a deceitful element with a colorful character (Walton Ekundayo Gilpin) joined the bank. Since his appointment as Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank, Gilpin has been accused of victimization, bullying, sexual harassment and intimidation. A Special Investigating Committee was set up to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against Mr. Ekundayo Gilpin.
The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Rokel Commercial Bank, Buffy Bailor, has been accused of supporting the embattled MD against the interest of some aggrieved staff of the bank.
Even as allegations of sexual harassment are being investigated, the Board Chairman has gone ahead to terminate the services of the accuser, a senior member of the bank, the Legal Adviser and Company Secretary, Mrs. Margaret Davies and two others.
Well, for what it is worth, the general public is keenly following and waiting to see if the Bank of Sierra Leone would allow Buffy Bailor to misgovern the Bank and put it into litigation and claims of Billions of Leones. From what this media gathers, Buffy Bailor is gradually achieving his plans as he allegedly orchestrated and conspired with Gilpin to unlawfully sack the three (3) in-house lawyers of the Bank for NO REASON (Well maybe for the reason that they spoke out and also refused to support Gilpin when he solicited support (from two of them) in his act of sexual harassment).
This press was informed that the Special Investigative Committee set up to investigate allegations of sexual harassment against Gilpin constituted of four members (including a Lawyer). Unfortunately, three of the members including the Lawyer did not look at the law and evidence provided with legal lenses but rather investigated with alleged malice by only looking at the lies Gilpin told them and the public is aware of the reasons why they did so.
Gilpin is deceitful as he used his questionable PhD to gain undue advantage over others that applied for the position he is currently occupying at Rokel Commercial Bank.
Buffy Bailor in his unending support and allegiance to Gilpin conspired with him (Gilpin) to unlawfully terminate three lawyers from the bank for NO REASON as stated in their letters of appointment. One of them is the sexual harassment victim and the other two refused to support Gilpin in his sexual harassment scandal. The two professionals refused to trade their integrities even when they were summoned and allegedly intimidated by Gilpin in his house.
Gilpin solicited their support against their female colleague who happens to be the Head of the Legal Department and the sexual harassment victim. The two lawyers out-rightly refused and told Gilpin that they want to stay off the issue and be professional.
The unholy alliance at Rokel Commercial Bank is set to be dismantled by State House.
Investigations continue.
