The Managing Editor
Standard Times Publications
Ascension Town Road
Freetown

Dear Editor,

NEWSPAPER PUBLICATIONS

I write with reference to your Lead Story in your publication of Tuesday 11th September 2012.

For the benefit of both those reading the story for the first time and in the interest of completeness, it would have been good journalism to tender an Editor’s comment and a conclusion. Since you failed to do either, I suggest below what would have passed for Editor’s comment and conclusion:

1. Central Bank Governors, everywhere and at all times, are appointed exclusively from successful professionals with above average material wealth; Sanpha Koroma was not an exception to this golden rule.

2. At the conclusion of the ill-conceived Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) investigations (March 2003 to April 2006) Sanpha Koroma sued the ACC in the High Court & the first and so far the only such action in the history of the ACC; he won the case with costs awarded. He donated the entire award to charity. You may reach your own conclusions on this aspect of the matter.

3. The joint DFID funded Serious Fraud Office/ACC team took three (3) years investigating the allegations contained in the report you published. It is of fundamental importance that no shred of evidence to substantiate the allegations was found or discovered. The investigations were therefore closed without a prosecution. Thus, President Kabbah and DFID had to search their respective conscience on whether the Four Billion Leones taxpayers’ money spent on the investigation was worth the effort and cost.

4. Before President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah ended his term as President, he tendered his unreserved apologies publicly on national television and radio to Sanpha Koroma and his family on the occasion of the opening of the UTB Kambia Branch on 17 November 2006, for having caused them prolonged aggravation and embarrassment. This was the first time in the history of Sierra Leone that a reigning Head of Government and State had publicly apologized to a former public officer for wrongful allegations.

5. Furthermore, at President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah’s last Presidential Awards Ceremony in April 2007, he awarded Sanpha Koroma no less an honour than a Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel (GCOR) in sincere recognition of his services to the country in the field of Finance and Banking. This was an added heroic act of remorse and regret.

6. On the events of August 25, 2008 at State House, you should read between the lines of Sanpha Koroma’s letter of resignation. A trained and professional journalist would have a lot to infer, surmise and conclude.
Second, four years down the road, Sanpha Koroma is yet to see the report of the Administrative Commission of Inquiry on the matter. It is fair to assume that the matter is dead.
Third, on the next day after that fateful event, i.e. 26 August 2008, Sanpha Koroma was back as Chief Executive Officer running Union Trust Bank Limited. You can also reach your own conclusions on the type of personality Sanpha Koroma represents.

7. Finally, whatever be the motives of your publication at this point in time, please be strongly advised that:
i. James Sanpha Koroma is not a politician, and will never be one.
ii. James Sanpha Koroma no longer aspires to any public appointment or award.
iii. James Sanpha Koroma remains a highly actualized and very happy businessman, with an unflinching commitment to serving humanity (and Sierra Leoneans) above self, doing good, and is much at peace with himself, his family, friends and well wishers.
I wish you well in your own service to society.
Yours faithfully
J. Sanpha Koroma

P.S: It will be in the interest of your readers and the public at large for you to
publish this letter in your newspaper. If you do, please use a full page and
send me the bill to cover the full charge.