Two Customs Officers Jailed for Demanding Le 2.5 Million Bribe

Judiciary of Sierra Leone Communications, Main Law Courts Building, Siaka Stevens Street Freetown, 18th December 2025: Two customs officers have been convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment each for soliciting and accepting bribes totaling Le 2.5 million (old leones) to facilitate the clearing of a shipping container at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay.

Honourable Justice Aiah Simeon Allieu, a Court of Appeal Judge sitting as a High Court Judge, found Akmed Karim and Mary Banya guilty on two counts of corruption offences under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12 of 2008.

The prosecution alleged that on February 28th , 2019, the two customs officers – Karim of No. 49 Matindi House, Brookfields, and Banya of No. 26 Parsonage Street, Kissy – solicited Le 2,500,000 (old leones) from Sigismond Tommy Mei without lawful consideration. The money was demanded to facilitate the clearing process of a container belonging to Juan Ruiz, an American businessman.

Both defendants initially pleaded not guilty, claiming complete innocence and denying any knowledge of receiving the alleged amount.

The Anti-Corruption Commission led ten witnesses in evidence to build their case against the customs officers.

Juan Ruiz, the businessman at the centre of the case, testified that he operates in the exportation of sand-based minerals. He told the court that in 2018, Alan Jenkins shipped a 40-foot container to him. During the clearing process, both defendants demanded Le 2,500,000 through Sigismond Mei to facilitate the release of his container.

The key witness, Sigismond Tommy Mei, an Operations Assistant at Bollore Logistics since 2018, provided crucial testimony. He explained that his duties include facilitating the clearing of goods for the company. Mei told the court he was present when both Mary Banya and Akmed Karim demanded the Le 2,500,000 from him for the container’s release.

“I prevailed on them to release the container, but they refused until the amount was given to them,” Mei testified.

Lucy Kabba, an investigator at the Anti-Corruption Commission’s Freetown office, confirmed that the investigation uncovered compelling evidence warranting prosecution.

After reviewing the evidence, Justice Allieu declared that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt. Both accused persons were found guilty on both counts as charged.

In mitigation, C. Pujeh Esq, representing the defence team (stepping in for C.F. Margai Esq. and S.B. Mondeh Esq.), appealed for leniency. He informed the court that the second convict, Mary Banya, is a mother and the principal caregiver for her family. He revealed that she had recently lost her mother, whose death was connected to the stress of the criminal proceedings.

Regarding the first convict, Akmed Karim, the defence counsel stated he was sick and had only a few months remaining before retirement.

J. Deen-Tarawalie Esq, the ACC Prosecutor in this matter, argued that even though the convicts were charged under the 2008 Act rather than the amended Act, this should not prevent the court from *considering the 2019 Amendment Act and the intention of Parliament behind such an amendment.* *He also argued that, even if the Honourable Judge was inclined to impose a penalty under the old law, nothing precluded him from imposing a fine above Le60,000 or an imprisonment above 5 years because the repealed law on penalty only had a minimum below which the Judge cannot sentence and had no maximum.*

He noted that the convicts had deliberately wasted the court’s time and state resources, which should be considered aggravating factors during sentencing. He argued that sentencing them with the bare minimum under the 2008 Act would not be fair to the state and recommended custodial sentences of not less than 5 years or fine of not less than Le60,000 as most appropriate. He respectfully implored the Judge to send a strong message of deterrence through his sentence.

In delivering his sentence, Justice Allieu stated he had carefully considered the submissions from both defence and prosecution lawyers. However, he noted that the offences for which they were convicted fell under the 2008 Act.

Both convicts were sentenced to three years imprisonment or a fine of thirty thousand new leones for count one, and thirty thousand new leones or three years imprisonment for count two.

In the same proceedings, a third customs officer, Momodu Allieu Sow of No. 7 College Road, Freetown, faced similar charges. He was accused of soliciting and accepting Le 3,000,000 from Sigismond Tommy Mei between December 1, 2018, and February 28, 2019, allegedly to undervalue a boat at the Queen Elizabeth II Quay belonging to Juan Ruiz.

However, Justice Allieu acquitted and discharged Sow, ruling that the state had failed to prove their case beyond all reasonable doubt. The judge found that the circumstantial evidence against him was insufficient for him to be convicted.