July 3, 2018
The High Court of Sierra Leone in Bo, presided over by the Honourable Justice M.A.J. Stevens, on 30th June 2018 sentenced John Nabie to one year imprisonment or a fine of Le.20 million.
Nabie was convicted on four counts of corruption related offences viz: two counts of soliciting an advantage contrary to section 35(1) of Anti-Corruption Act (ACA) No. 12 of 2008; and two counts of accepting an advantage contrary to section 35(1) of AC Act 2008.
Delivering his verdict, the Judge stated that the act of the accused was contrary to the AC Act of 2008 and that the Commission has proved its case beyond all reasonable doubt; therefore “the court orders that the sentence of imprisonment runs concurrently and the fines run consecutively.” Effectively, the accused will pay a cumulative fine of Le20, 000,000 or serve one year imprisonment.
According to the ACC, on dates unknown between 1st to 30th September 2015, the convict John Nabie, a resident of Bumpe Town, Ngao Chiefdom in Bo, Southern Province of Sierra Leone, at Bumpe Town solicited and accepted an advantage in the sum of one hundred thousand Leones from beneficiaries of a project called ‘Rapid Ebola Social Safety Net’ being implemented by National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) to ease plight of families affected by the Ebola in their communities.
The State was represented by Nigel B.E. Davies Esq. and Adrian B.C. Samuels Esq. whilst the defendant was represented by Patrick N. John Bull Esq.