Sierra Leone VP implicated in timber bribery and corruption (video)

Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas visits the Vice President’s office where he meets the VP and two other men Momoh Konte (claims to be CEO of transtech International) and Alex Mansaray (is owner of African Sunshine company, they supply rice to the millitary). Both men are introduced to him as Advisors to the Vice President. Later the two men ask and recieve money from the undercover journalists. They say they will use the funds to solicit VP Sam Sumana’s support for their timber export business.

The Vice President denies that the men are his advisors. And when confronted about the $50,000 Alex Mansaray tries to solicit from the ‘businessmen’. The Vice President says that niether men are his advisors and nor were they acting on his behalf. However as recent as August 2011 the same Alex Mansaray visited Malaysia with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. His title on the visit was ‘special advisor to the Vice President’. Mr Mansaray was also an active member of the APC Party’s New Jersey office. Momoh Konte was a part of the APC’s transitional team set up in 2007 and chaired by the Vice President. On his transtech website Konte claims he worked for Forest Gate International, a company listed here as fraudulent.

According to Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Forestry the country will have no more forests by 2018 if logging continues…
Mr Vice President what we really want to know is: If they are not your advisors and they were not acting on your behalf why in heavens name were they using your office? Why are you surrounded by 419ers?
Pohto pohto don catch faya!

(Alex Mansaray, African Sunshine Company)

(Momoh Konte, Transtech International)