January 13, 2022
When the storm started brewing at the KMC over Sainabu Martin saga, there was this consensus in some conversations around the issue that, it would dissipate just like other ‘Nine Days Wonders’ did before it. And, as if to give credence to this previously bleak outlook of the case at the onset, we can say with confidence and without fear of contradiction that there’s not much about it that anyone can write home about.
If anything, the conversation has now drifted towards allegations and counter allegations of corruption, witch-hunt, bullying, political jockeying amongst others. The KMC corruption saga and the interest that it generated undoubtedly provided the momentum on which this government can demonstrate it’s ability to fight corruption by leading a genuine process in establishing culpability and prescribing punishment through legal means.
But all that’s been fed to our ears now is the deployment of one of those incriminated in the defrauding of hardworking KMC staff to the diplomatic service. The ministry of foreign affairs should explain as to why a person of interest in a corruption scandal should be sent on overseas diplomatic mission.
We are quite aware of the fact that Mr Jawo should be accorded that right of presumption of innocence until proven otherwise, it is equally true that conditions must not be created to make the work of investigators cumbersome. In-person contact is an essential component of criminal investigations.
Flying a person of interest in a corruption investigation out of the jurisdiction is not therefore helpful. Fighting corruption should transcend rhetorics because it is as important to our development as it is inimical to our growth. This menace must be tackled downwards up vice versa.
All strata of society and in whichever scale! Therefore, in the fight against corruption it doesn’t matter whose cow is gored. There should be no sacred cow in this crusade. The executive must give the public and the international community the confidence that it’s up to the task when it comes to combating corruption.
