In Sierra Leone, Opposition Party Chairman attacks fight against corruption

Newly elected Chairman for the People’s Movement for Democratic Change party in Sierra Leone, Mohamed Bangura has lashed out at the country’s institution responsible for the fight against corruption saying, it still has ‘more to do to show that it can perform’. Bangura spoke to Newstime Africa at his office in central Freetown.

The current administration of President Ernest Bai Koroma was elected into power following his strong stance on corruption, a disease that has eaten into the fabrics of the Sierra Leone society. When he assumed the Presidency, President Koroma promised to allow the Anti Corruption Commission to operate independently by giving the Commission prosecutorial powers, and this he did when the Anti Corruption Com mission Act was amended, thus giving the commission powers to charge to court corruption related matters

However, the  PMDC stated that  inasmuch as he commends the government of President Koroma for making the Commission independent in it operation, there is every need for the Commission to live up to expectations . He said if the current crusade against corruption 0is to be compared to one of the recent past government ‘it is true that this government is making strides, it is far ahead in the fight against corruption, but it is going at a slow pace’

‘There is the political will from the central government…the ACC has not been acting tough on corruption related case. If a Minister is corrupt, then the Anti Corruption Commission should go ahead and prosecute, especially when there is evidence..,.’ he stated. The ACC Commissioner, , he went on, has absolute power to prosecute cases  related  to corruption but that he has not charged to court any high profile case.

Asked to comment on the issue of political tolerance in post conflict Sierra Leone, he said, ‘Sierra Leone still has few more things to do in that regard. Political tolerance goes beyond one party attending the function of another part’ He said, there is the need for political inclusion as that could be a major component of political tolerance

The People’s Movement for Democratic Change formed an alliance with the ruling All People’s Congress party during the 2007 runoff elections. Since then when the APC won, several prominent members of the PMDC were appointed to key positions of trust, including three ministerial positions. Mohamed Bangura, who until his recent election was Publicity Secretary for the PMDC was also National Coordinator for the Attitudinal and Behavioral Change Secretariat, established by President Koroma. He resigned that position following his election as Chairman for the PMDC.

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