Cllr, Benedict Sannoh, former Minister of Justice has been dragged to Court for allegedly receiving an amount of US$90.000 (Ninety thousand United States dollars) from the community Development Fund for the people of Gola Konneh district, Grand Cape Mount County.
The concerned citizens said Cllr. Sannoh robbed them of the amount without providing any legal services. According to them, he is seeking ways to get US$25,000(Twenty-five thousand united states dollars).
Speaking to reporters today at the temple of Justice, Mohammed Daramei said, it was unfortunate that the Cllr, had to indulge into that. The citizens, Mr. Daramei said, were lured into a bogus retainer agreement with Cllr. Sannoh after they were seeking ways for Bea Mining Company to live up to their commitments by providing the community Development Fund. “As soon has he heard that the company was going to give us over one million united states dollars, he came to us. When the agreement was signed, he was to take not more than 20% of the total amount provided he worked for it.”
So, they had no option but to take legal action against him to refund at least 60 percent of the amount he took.
In their petition to the supreme court, it said; “It is important to note that during negotiations at the Labor ministry, team leaders for the communities, workers vigorously represented themselves and there was nothing Cllr. Sannoh said at those negotiations and no representation was made by him which these team leaders did not know or say for their respective, constituents, especially as they were in continues and constant communication.”
They prayed to the court that “By taking 20 percent of the money provided by BMMC for construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation of school and clinics, Cllr Sannoh has effectively deprived the people of Darblo, Laar and Manna clans of Gola Konneh district school and clinic to the value of said 20 parent cent which is US$90.000. This is egregiously, morally and ethically wrong and it is a flagrant violation of rule 16 of the code for the moral and ethical conduct of lawyers.”
“The people were not properly informed of the details of this. He cajoled them. That was a bogus agreement. We started protesting and he came in. He took US$90.000(Ninety thousand united states dollars) from us. He did not go to court. He sat with us for not more than one week,” he journalists on Monday.
He added: “Legally, you should take what you worked for. But he did not work for it. He worked for less than a week for the people of Gola Konneh district.
“Based on that, the concerned citizens of Gola Konneh district filed a complaint to the Supreme court. I can assure you that Benedict Sannoh will pay back not less than 60 percent of our money.”
But sources close to Cllr. Sannoh admitted to getting the money. He however said, it was legal fees and there was nothing wrong with it. The source accused Senator Varney Sherman of the mastermind behind the action of the citizens.
It can be recalled that last week, Senator Simeon Taylor of Grand Cape Mount County accused Senator Sherman of unilaterally taking the money after Cllr. Sannoh went to court since he was the legal representative of the citizens of Gola Konneh district. Senator Sherman has not made any comments on this..
