Ministry of Finance sources have revealed to Sierraloaded that Shandong, the Chinese iron ore mining company, which has taken full ownership of African Minerals Limited, has recovered properties worth millions of dollars that were sold to a local businessman by the Government Auctioneer.

According to the report, the auctioneer, Madam Isatu Deen, auctioned a container full of Shandong Steel properties, including tyres and other hardware goods, without tendering them for bid.

Sierraloaded was reliaby informed that the goods were retrieved from various warehouses around the central part of the city.

Madam Deen who stands accused of fraud is said to have in an earlier auction without going through due process sold a container load of goods worth thousands of dollars belonging to a Sierra Leonean.

The case went to court where a settlement was reached with the aggrieved party.

Madam Deen is also alleged to have sold two Ford vehicles belonging to the Ministry of Agriculture that were also retrieved by the ministry.

Many affected people accuse Madam Deen of not following the rules and regulations guiding the sale of goods at the quay that are overdue for clearance.

The normal procedure is that if after six months a consignee does not clear his goods at the port, the government auctioneer must first publish a notice in the government gazette.

This should be followed by a second public notice, after which if the owner fails to clear the goods, the auctioneer has the right to sell them through a bid process.

Meanwhile, it is reported that Madam Deen has been suspended from office but what legal action will be taken against her for acting unprofessionally is unknown.