Sierra Leone’s High Court presided by Justice Simeon Allieu has on Thursday convicted Mohamed Sheku Turay, a former Banker at the Rokel Commercial Bank on two counts of corruption offences.

Turay was sentenced to pay a fine of one hundred million Leones (Le 100,000,000.00) immediately or serve a term of ten years imprisonment.

The Judge also ordered Mohamed Sheku Turay to pay a restitution of three billion, nine hundred and twenty million, one hundred and forty-five thousand, two hundred and sixty-two Leones (LE 3,920,145,262.00) on or before the 30th September, 2021, which he stole from the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA).

Justice Simeon Allieu convicted Mohamed Sheku Turay after pleading guilty to Count 1 and Count 3 of the charges – Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) and Conspiracy to Commit a Corruption Offence, contrary to Section 128(1)(a), of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12, of 2008 as amended in 2019 respectively.

According to the charges brough by the ACC, Mohamed Sheku Turay and seven others – Alimamy Sesay, Noah Winnebah, Abioseh Ola Barnes, Musa Momoh Lahai, Hawa Y. Kamara, Mary Bangura (Mrs Ngegbai) and Rugiatu Kalokoh were on 16th July 2021 indicted by the ACC for misappropriating three billion, nine hundred and twenty million, one hundred and forty-five thousand, two hundred and sixty-two Leones (LE 3,920,145,262.00) of electricity bills paid to EDSA for the supply of electricity.

Mohamed Sheku Turay is the principal accused person in the indictment.

The hearing involving Alimamy Sesay, Noah Winnebah, Abioseh Ola Barnes, Musa Momoh Lahai, Hawa Y Kamara, Mary Bangura (Mrs Ngegbai) and Rugiatu Kalokoh, continues at the High Court in Freetown.