By Jane B. Mansaray.
In the matter between the State and the former Minister of Youth Affairs, Alimamy Kamara, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Archivist, Brima Thullah has made appearance at the ACC court, at main Law Court Building on Siaka Stevens Street in Freetown, before woman High Court Judge, Justice Hannah Bonnie to testify in an alleged corruption criminal matter.
The second Prosecution Witness (PW2), Brima Thullah yesterday on oath was led in evidence by ACC Prosecutor, Joel T. Deen Tarawallie.
Leading testimony from the witness box, PW2, a resident of the Western Area Rural District of Rokel said he is an Archivist Analyst attached to the Assets Declaration Unit of the ACC in Freetown.
As an Archivist, PW2 told the court that he is responsible for the distribution, collection, processing and storing of records of asset declaration documents in the archive, and retrieves them when needed by the Commission.
According to Brima Thullah, he knows the accused person, Alimamy Kamara as a former Member of Parliament in the All People’s Congress (APC) administration, Minister of Youth Affairs and an Ambassador to Iran in the government of former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma.
PW2 recalls in January 2021, when he received an instruction from his Boss, Madam Zainab A.Othman to retrieve the now accused person’s assets declaration documents.
Upon the instruction, the witness said he immediately went to the archive to search, but after a thorough search for over two hours, he did not see any declaration form in the name of “Alimamy Kamara”.
PW2 reported to his Boss, Zainab A. Othman, who then referred him (Brima Thullah) to report at the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Pardemba Road in Freetown. At the CID, the witness said he made a statement, and it was recorded in writing.
Lead Defense Counsel, Africanus Sorie Sesay, informed the court of just receiving PW2 five pages statement made to the police from the Prosecutor. “This is a criminal proceeding and the issue of ambush should not be at the forefront”, Defense Counsel Africanus Sorie Sesay noted.
Lawyer A.S. Sesay requested for a fifteen minutes stand down for him to go through PW2 statement and to also confirm with the accused person.
Justice Hannah Bonnie granted a stand down and extended it to twenty minutes instead of fifteen minutes as requested by the Defense Counsel. The court resumed and the witness was cross examined.
In his response under cross examination, PW2 said he has been an Archivist since 2013, but does not have knowledge in asset declaration as by Section 119 of the ACC Act of 2008.
Counsel put it to the witness that there was a time when declaration forms were not available.
The witness replied “Not to my knowledge”, and furthered that he (PW2) never distributed any form to the accused person, Alimamy Kamara.
Under Re- examination by prosecuting counsel, J.T. Deen Tarawallie, PW2 said the Commission normally delivers and distributes declaration forms to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and not to individuals.
The accused person’s self-bail continues and the matter was adjourned to the 23rd August 2021 for further hearing.
