It appears as if the refusal of Julius Maada Bio, the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP)’s presidential candidate, to adequately explain away his theft of sales of national passports has now been extended to mean SLPP members can steal funds with impunity. Two SLPP Executive members in Koinadugu district Northern Sierra Leone have been accused by party members of embezzling the sum of Four Million, Six Hundred Thousand Leones (US$1,100) leading to a very acidic situation in the district that has seen labels of “Tiffman” and “Tiffy-Tiffy Jankoliko” hurled by SLPP members at each other.

The money which was provided by the National Executive of the party in Freetown was meant for the payment of party agents who participated in the Voter ID Card Exhibition process following the conclusion of the Bio- Metric Voter Registration (BVR) exercise in the district.

According to the district Deputy Young Generation Leader Sorie K. Jawara, the money was received by the acting district chairman Foday M Kuraisy aka ‘Masenty’ and his deputy Alie Badara Kamara on behalf of the district executive. He said the embezzlement came to light following the completion of the exhibition exercise and the agents were requesting for their money. He said they had to contact party officials in Freetown who told them that the money has been given to Alie Badara. He furthered that an emergency district executive meeting was summoned were Alie Badara admitted receiving the money which he shared with Foday Kuraisy despite early denial.

However, Foday M. Kuraisy in an interview with Awareness Times on Tuesday 31st July 2012, denied the allegation made against him. He however confirmed to Awareness Times of receiving the sum of two million leones only from Alie Badara which he said was meant for “other internal party issues” and not for party exhibition agents.

Senior officials of the party in that part of the country, including the SLPP Honorable Member of Parliament for Constituency 48 Hon. Samura and a member of the Elders’ Council in that district, have confirmed to this press that the cash was paid to Alie Badara but he has so far failed to account for it.

The inflammatory situation with SLPP accusing SLPP of being ‘Tiffy Tiffy Jankolikos’ is getting worse day by day and if urgent steps are not taken by the national executive in Freetown, this may collapse the activities of the party in that area and by extension disrupt the campaign efforts of their presidential candidate Julius Maada Bio and their other elective candidates (MPs and Councillors) in that area.