A staff of the Accountant General Department in the Ministry of Finance, assigned to at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, Richard Solomon Ralph Williams has on Monday 13 June 2022 testified in the ongoing Anti-Corruption matter between the All People’s Congress 2018 flag bearer, Dr Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara versus the state and five others, at High Court No 1, before Hon Justice Adrian Fisher. Prosecution Witness Eight (PW8) Solomon Ralpha Williams told the court that he has worked as an Accountant at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation and monitored Treasury Single Account, made payments on behalf of government Ministries Departments and Agencies, prepare account and supervises the account in terms of payments.

He explained his involvements in the transfer of funds for and on behalf of government to the Sierra Leone Permanent Mission to the
United Nations for the renovation 009 of the Chancery Building in New Del York, adding that in review of payment voucher submitted from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the country’s UN Mission in New York.

ACC lead prosecutor Calvin T. Mansebo referred the witness to exhibit G1-4 to look at G2-3 specifically, the witness marked as PV PW8 was allowed to read the contents on those exhibit which he the said, it is the document a payment in made from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Mission in New York, and was prepared by himself as the Accountant.

He said that payment was made in 2016, upon a request He made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the sum of Six Billion, Sixty-Nine Million Four Hundred and Eighty Thousand Leones, equivalent to One Million Dollar the for the refurbishment of the the Chancery Building.

On exhibit G3 PW8 said a payment voucher for the renovation of Chancery Building voucher number
0099448 payable to the Sierra Leone Delegation to New York in the sum of Five Hundred United States Dollars in 2018 which is equivalent to Three Billion One Hundred and Eleven Thousand Seven Hundred and Twenty Leones.

He said another cheque No 284120 on the 19 June 2019 payment was made of over Billion Leones.PW8 recalled on June 19 2019 cheque No 284121 a description for the chancery building in New York in the sum of 435, 400 and 62 United States Dollars which is equivalent to 3Billion 8002 Million, Six Five Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Leones.

He also recalled on the 16 January 2019 description form the renovation chancery building in New York by the Accountant General cheque number 000730 payment for the Permanent Mission in New York in the sum of Four billion 240 million 500 Thousand Leones. Exhibit G1-4 payment voucher ranging to the total sum of One million 871,300 and Five Thousand
Leones, PW8 said the total sum is 17 billion 184 million 496, 60032 and 43 cents.

He told the court that the money spent from 2018 to 2019 is 2million 377,305, United States Dollars equivalent to 20 billion 996,216,600
and 22 Leones 42 cents

The witness was referred to exhibit H1-25 a request from the Accountant General to the Director for General requesting the payment from the Bank of Sierra Leone by order from the Ministry of Commerce from the People’s Republic of China on the 7 November 2013.

He noted that the subject matter was a request of 2 million USD a response from the Director General and Ambassador at Large from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 11 November 2013.
million Dollars in respect of a donation to Sierra Leone.

The witness was cross examining by Lawyer H.M. Gevao and Justice Adrian Fisher adjourned the matter to the 17 June 2022 for PW9’s testimony.