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.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin