By Mohamed Kabba
Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Foday Rado Yokie has defended former African Minerals boss Frank Timis over allegations of advanced tax payments to the former All People’s Congress(APC)led government of Ernest Bai Koroma.
Yokie confirmed there were no documentary records or evidence to his knowledge to incriminate the former African Minerals boss.
According to a letter from Lawyer Abu B. S, Sangarie, solicitor for Frank Vasile Timis, dated 1st October 2019, titled ‘Re: Unlawful cancellation’ of the mining lease No. 02/2009 license in 2017, by the former government, alleged that Frank Timis made an advance taxes payment of $100 million United States dollar to the former APC government of Ernest Bai Koroma, in 2007 to enable government build roads and other infrastructural development.
However, according to records of the National Minerals Agency (NMA) with regards mining agreements between government and investors, the Mining Lease Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone and African Minerals Limited Group of Companies, after going through Parliament was signed on 6th August 2010.
Legally, despite the fact that Timis African Minerals Limited Company might have it presence in the country, it gained it legal status of existence in Sierra Leone on 6th August 2010, which is apparently 3 years after Frank Timis allegedly forwarded $100 million dollar as advance tax to the former government in 2007.