ACC Puts Up for Sale Property of Man Convicted for Embezzling 3.9 Billion Leones from EDSA

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has announced the upcoming sale of a property belonging to convicted former banker Mohamed Sheku Turay, who was found guilty of misappropriating funds from the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA).

The sale follows a court order to auction the property after Turay failed to pay over 3.9 billion Leones in restitution.

In a statement, ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala detailed that Turay, who had stolen over Le3.9 billion (old Leones) from EDSA, was convicted and fined Le100 million, which he paid. However, to recover the full amount stolen and other penalties, the ACC obtained a court order to sell Turay’s property, valued at approximately USD 300,000. The house, located at 4A Jones Street, Kissy, Freetown, is a four-story residential and commercial building.

On July 22, 2021, Mohamed Sheku Turay, a former banker at Rokel Commercial Bank, was sentenced by Justice Simeon Allieu to pay a fine of Le100 million immediately or serve ten years in prison after his conviction on two counts of corruption offenses. Additionally, he was ordered to pay Le3.9 billion in restitution to EDSA by September 30, 2021.

Although Turay paid the court fine, he failed to meet the restitution deadline and subsequently fled the country, evading the Commission’s efforts to recover the stolen funds.

The ACC has called for bids from interested parties to purchase the property. The bidding process is open until January 31, 2025, with the highest bidder securing the property. The funds from the sale will be returned to state coffers to mitigate the financial loss incurred by EDSA.

The ACC encourages interested buyers to inspect the property, which sits on 0.0602 acres (0.7 town lots), before submitting their bids. This move aims to ensure transparency and fairness in the sale process.