On July 24, 2024, the headquarters of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Agency on Liverpool Street was the epicenter of a significant protest led by workers from the Ministry of Environment. The protestors rallied against what they described as rampant corruption and mismanagement within the agency, alleging that a staggering 300 billion Leones had been embezzled under the current administration.

Ahmed Deen Swarray, a prominent scientist with the agency, brought these accusations to light, naming John Gabati, a senior official, and his colleague, the executive secretary, as the primary culprits. According to Swarray, the corruption had reached such levels that it warranted immediate intervention by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the government of President Julius Maada Bio.

The agency’s board, reacting to the allegations, convened an emergency meeting where they decided to suspend Mr. Gabati. The case has since been escalated to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further probing. The ACC is also actively investigating the matter, with Mr. Gabati having been granted bail by the CID.

In a surprising twist, despite his suspension, Mr. Gabati resumed his duties, reportedly with the backing of the Minister of Environment and the Permanent Secretary. This move has sparked further outrage among the agency’s workers and the public, who view it as a blatant act of condoning corruption.

Mr. Gabati, in response to his suspension, attempted to shut down the board chairman’s office, claiming that the chairman, appointed by the president, had no authority to suspend him. This act of defiance included breaking the seals placed by the ACC on his office, leading to a tense standoff with agency staff, whom he threatened with termination if they did not support him.

Furthermore, Swarray revealed that under Mr. Gabati’s leadership, there had been a significant shortfall in the agency’s revenue from mineral shipments over the past three years. An estimated 341,761,200 Leones from shipments in 2021, 2022, and 2023 were reportedly embezzled.