Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698840271540.pdf (Sierra Leone)
1 HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL FREETOWN UFOURTH SESSION OF THE FOURTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE UTENTH REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS UAND THE PUBLIC SERVICE ON PARLIAMENTARY VETTING UOF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS 1.

UINTRODUCTION Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service, alive to its constitutional duties, met on Tuesday, 10P th P May 2016 and interviewed four Presidential nominees for appointments as follows:- i.
Director of Public Prosecutions ii.

Electoral Commissioner, Western Area iii.

Member, Sierra Leone Insurance Commission iv.

Member, Millennium Challenge Corporation Unit (MCCU) 2.

UPROCEDURE The Committee maintained strict consistency to its established procedure.

Inquiring questions put to the nominees were related to their educational backgrounds, track records in public office, declared assets, tax obligations and their visions for a nationally productive tenure.

3.
3.

UELEVENTH SITTING OF THE COMMITTEE ON TUESDAY 10U TH U MAY 2016 3:1 The following nominees were interviewed on oath: i. Mr. Sulaiman Ahmad Bah–Proposed Director of Public Prosecutions P U U P 2 Soon after his legal education, Mr. Sulaiman Ahmad Bah joined the Law Officers Department as State Counsel in 1994 and was promoted Senior State Counsel in 2004.

In 2007, he became Principal State Counsel and from 18th May 2011 to date, he has been serving as Acting Director of Public Prosecutions.
Reacting to questions on fairness in the execution of his duty, Mr. Suliaman Bah opined that prosecuting public offences is predicated on two fundamental issues, i. e. the evidence and the public interest.

“I have to look at cases dispassionately, without fair or favour and above all, I have to be faithful to the oath I took that no one is above the law,” he said.
Questioned on the draft Criminal Procedures Act, Mr. Sulaiman Bah said it will, to a very large extent, help to shorten the procedure as far as preliminary investigations are concerned.

“If the draft is enacted into law,, we hope to see preliminary investigations for criminal matters lasting for only a period of twenty- eight days before a committal is made.

The Act also makes provisions for Community Services Orders and suspended sentences,” he said.

ii.
ii.

Ms. Miatta French-proposed Electoral Commissioner, Western Area.

Ms. Miatta French has over twenty years work experience in research, advocacy, policy formulation and public information, administration and governance.

She has worked with a wide range of local and international organizations such as the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), the Mano River Women’s Peace Network (MARWOPNET) UNICEF etc.
Ms. Miatta French joined the National electoral Commission as ‘Head of the Citizens Outreach’ of the Commission.

(2005 - 2009) In 2009, she was promoted Director of Operations and in January 2011, she was appointed electoral Commissioner for the Western Area.

3 Questioned on her view on democratic practice in Sierra Leone, Ms. Miatta French said that “the beauty of our democracy is that our people are tolerant.

There is always somebody you can reach out to or relate to.
In spite of our political differences, we are often more united than divided on national issues,” she said.

Responding to Members’ concern about fairness, Ms. French promised to do justice to all without fear or favour.

iii.

Mr. Derek Samuel Edward Beoku-Betts, Proposed Member, Sierra Leone Insurance Commission Mr. Derek Beoku-Betts is a private legal practitioner who has practised extensively in both Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom.
Mr. Beoku-Betts is a Member of the following Legal Professional Associations: i. Barrister, England and Wales 1986 to 1996 ii.

Solicitor Law Society England – 1996 to date Iii.Sierra Leone Bar – 1992 to date.

Answering to the Committee’s inquiries, Mr. Derek Beoku-Betts said he has lived and worked in England for over twenty-years and has been involved with various kinds of insurances.
“When you are living in England you need a car insurance which is compulsory, health insurance which is advisable and life Insurance which comes with any kind of mortgage.

As a businessman, I also had an Employer’s Liability Insurance and Indemnity Insurance.

I have a vast amount of experience in that industry and I will bring all of that experience to bear on the Commission.

Everything that I know will be made available to the Commission for its consumption and development,” he said 4 iv.
Mrs. Marcella Ekundayo Florence Samba Sesay- Proposed Member, Millennium Challenge Corporation Unit (MCCU) Mrs. Marcella Samba-Sesay is the current Director of programmes, ‘Campaign for Good governance, Sierra Leone.’ With over 15 years work experience in designing and implementing democratization projects, Marcella view herself as a change agent dedicated to ensuring that governance is pro-poor and focused on citizens’ rights.
Mrs. Marcella Samba-Sesay has a wealth of experience in engaging government for democratic governance and in building the capacity of local communities for active participation in democratic governance.

Asked to share her knowledge on the Millennium Challenge Corporation Unit, (MCCU) Mrs. Marcella Samba-Sesay said that the MCCU is a USA- based creation in which member countries are expected to measure up to certain bench-marks on issues of democracy, transparency and accountability.
Commenting on the role of the MCCU chapter in Sierra Leone, Mrs. Marcella Sesay said, “the MCCU succeeded in securing the threshold grant of US$ 45 million to implement programmes in the water and electricity sectors.

Part of the programme is to build institutional capacities of those entities that will be supporting the electricity and water sectors in Sierra Leone.

As a board member we are supposed to examine the deliverables of the unit here in Sierra Leon and to give expert advice,” she said.

5.
5.

RECOMMENDATIONS Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, the Committee adjudged the following Presidential nominees to be adequately qualified for their proposed appointments and they are recommended to the House for approval: i. ii.

Mr. Sulaiman Ahmad Bah – Director of Public Prosecutions Ms. Miatta French- Electoral Commissioner, Western Area 5 iii.

iv.
iv.

Mr. Derek Samuel Edward Beoku-Betts, Member, Sierra Leone Insurance Commission Mrs. Marcella Ekundayo Florence Samba Sesay - Member, Millennium Challenge Corporation Unit (MCCU) Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, the Tenth Report is the unanimous decision of the Committee.

I therefore move that the Tenth Report of the Fourth Session of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service be adopted by the House and that the recommendations contained therein be approved.

Hon.
Hon.

Ibrahim R. Bundu Chairman Date:………………………… 6 HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL FREETOWN E-mail: 0 Usierraleoneparliament@hotmail.comU T USECOND SESSION OF THE FOURTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLICOF SIERRA LEONE UMINUTES OF THE ELEVENTH SITTING OF THE COMMITTEE ON UAPPOINTMENTS ANDTHE PUBLIC SERVICE IN COMMITTEE UROOM NO.1, PARLIAMENT BUILDING, ON TUESDAY U 10U TH U MAY 2016 AT 12:00 NOONU 1.

Prayers – Prayers were said by the Clerk.

2.


Attendance 2.1 The following Members of the Committee were present.

i. ii.

iii.

iv.

v. vi.

Hon.

Ibrahim R. Bundu – Chairman Hon.

Chernor R. M. Bah Hon.

Leonard S. Fofanah Hon.

Benneh Bangura Hon.

Veronica Sesay Hon Abie Kaloko 2.2 The following Members of the Committee were absent: i. ii.

iii.

iv.

v. vi.

Alhaji Ansumana Jaia Kaikai Hon.

Dr. Bernadette Lahai Hon Habib Munda Hon Mabinty H Bangura Hon Patrick L M Kargbo Hon.

E. K. Koedoyoma vii.


Hon.

Claude D. M. Kamanda viii.

Hon Jusufu Barry Mansaray T 0 P U U P 7 ix.

x. Hon.

Amadu Kanu Hon PC Joseph Alie Kavura Kongomoh II 3.

PUBLIC HEARING - Hearing was open to the public and the press.

4.

Consideration of Presidential nominations for appointments as listed: 4:1 The following nominees were interviewed on oath: i. ii.

iii.

iv.

Mr. Sulaiman Ahmad Bah –Proposed Director of Public Prosecutions Ms. Miatta French-proposed Electoral Commissioner, Western Area.
Mr. Derek Samuel Edward Beoku-Betts, Proposed Member, Sierra Leone Insurance Commission Ms. Marcella Samba Sesay- Proposed Member, Millennium Challenge Corporation Unit (MCCU) 5.

Closed Session 5:1 The Committee unanimously accepted the nomination of all the four candidates interviewed.

The Committee rose at 3: 00 p.m. Director of Committees Peter J. Kulagbanda