PRESS RELEASE
Two NRA Officers convicted; Two acquitted of corrupt offences
Two public officers of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) were on Tuesday 10th March 2009 convicted of corrupt offences while two others were acquitted and discharged. The First Accused, Luseni Joe Baun, and Fourth Accused, Mohammed Alie Bangura, both being public officers attached to the National Revenue Authority as Preventive Services and Special Duties Officers of the Customs and Excise Department, were convicted of two counts of Soliciting and Accepting an Advantage, contrary to Section 8 (1) (a) of the Anti-Corruption Act,2000 (as amended). Whilst the Second Accused, Allieu Badara Kamason, and Third Accused, Desmond Cole, were both acquitted of the offence of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section (12) (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2000, (as amended).
First Accused, Luseni Joe Baun, was sentenced to a term of five (5) years imprisonment or alternatively to pay a fine of Le10,000,000 (Ten Million Leones) on each of the two counts. The total fine to be paid by Mr Baun amounts to a total of Le20,000,000 (Twenty Million Leones) for both counts. Fourth Accused, Mohammed Alie Bangura, was sentenced to a term of five (5) years imprisonment with an alternative fine of Le5,000,000 (Five Million Leones) on each of the two counts. The total fine for the fourth accused is Le 10,000,000 (Ten Million Leones). The judge also ordered that the various sums of Le 8,000,000 (Eight Million Leones), Le 400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand Leones) and Le 150,000 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Leones) recovered by the ACC and which was tendered in evidence should be returned to the ACC less the sum of Le 4,286,850 (Four Million Two Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Leones) which should be paid to the National Revenue Authority.
The second and third accused, Allieu Badara Kamason and Desmond Cole were both acquitted and discharged of the offence of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to section 12 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2000 as amended by the Presiding Judge the Honourable Mr Justice Nichloas Browne-Marke.
The Anti-Corruption Commission had charged the four accused person with a 5 count indictment – 2 counts for the offence of Soliciting an Advantage contrary to section 8(1)(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2000, (as amended), 2 counts for the offence Accepting an Advantage contrary to section 8(1)(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2000, (as amended and 1 count of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to section 12 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2000 as amended
Glennis Sourie
Communications Officer