Pubdate: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 Source: Awareness Times (Sierra Leone) Copyright: 2008 Awareness Times Contact: http://www.awarenesstimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4833 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.) COCAINE BOX IN STATE HOUSE? Security circles monitored by this medium were awash with speculations over where one box of cocaine could be presently located after intelligence reports indicted a close aide of a top Government official at State House as having been the culprit who whisked off one carton of cocaine at Lungi. As our investigations continue on the abandoned drug plane, interesting information filters in every moment. According to our latest investigations, the box of cocaine which got missing from the load of 703kg in the early morning hours of Sunday July 13th 2008 has been alleged to have been whisked off by no less a person than an employee/associate of State House. Unconfirmed but credible information reaching this medium so far indicates that the Sierra Leone Police are zooming in on some so called bodyguards to a top government functionary who works at State House. The information so far is that some of these State House employees or associates who are under suspicion of having whisked off the one box from under the eyes of the Sierra Leone Police, are said to have been detained at the Pademba Road Prisons. This has led to immense speculations in many gathering spots that the Police might have to do a cordon and search of State House premises where they might find the missing box of cocaine. The number of scandals and unfortunate attention that has been drawn to State House ever since it was re-habited by the sitting Head of State following a long spell of inhabitation, has been astounding. Many have however put these scandals down to a lack of full settling in of a Nation that has not yet gotten used to the sacredness of that esteemed place of habitation of the Head of State. Meanwhile, President Koroma has confirmed up at Makeni over the weekend that he would be holding an emergency Cabinet Meeting today to have a Bill passed to Parliament that would immediately strengthen the country's anti-drug trafficking laws and make for very severe sentences for drug traffickers. According to President Koroma, who was speaking in Krio, when this new Bill will get passed under an Emergency Certificate, when a drug trafficker is found guilty, he would not be seen again outside the prison walls for a very long time. Meanwhile, as the report of the missing box being in the possession of a State House associate, was making the rounds, the popular local comedian, O'dums had his audience in stitches when he reportedly joked that President Koroma should tell his bodyguards not to harass poor citizens from going near their President but should instead tell them to go after cocaine dealers. Information reaching this press is that another brother of a Government Minister has been arrested over the weekend and is being questioned in connection with the cocaine deal. This latest arrest comes in the wake of the arrest and detention of Ahmed Sesay, the brother of the Aviation Minister Kemoh Sesay. Ahmed Sesay is the National Football Team Manager who also doubles as the APC ruling party's Western Area Campaign Chairman. The Sesays association with the cocaine scandal has led to the bastardization of the APC slogan of Osai Owai to Osai Owai O'Cocaine. However, the Aviation Minister has denied any direct APC involvement. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin