President Suspends Senior Aide Over Testimony At TB Joshua’s Church

President, Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone has suspended one of his senior aides, State Chief of Protocol, Ms Fatmata Edna Kargbo following her testimony at the Church of All Nations (Synagogue) in Nigeria.

The country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) also said it has launched a probe into the finances of Kargbo after a video of her talking about her wealth during a church service went viral early August.

In the testimony, shown on the church’s TV channel, Ms Kargbo spoke about her recent appointment as an aide to the president and her subsequent ability to complete a mansion she said she had been building for years.

Although the testimony to the Synagogue congregation was meant to demonstrate that she found God’s favour as believe and member of the church, Sierra Leoneans were not amused the video of the testimony sparked outrage in the country.

In the video, Ms Kargbo is seen making a PowerPoint presentation to the congregation of charismatic preacher TB Joshua about how God had blessed her, and saying that she was even able to put up a storeyed building within the short period of her appointment.

ACC spokesman Success Kamara on August 27, 2019 told the Africa Review: “Such a testimony, we think, is a cause for concern.”

Kargbo, an ambassador, was appointed to office in May 2018 by Bio.

Reports say the anti-graft commission questioned Kargbo on August 22, 2019, and it is interested in how Kargbo managed to put up the building within a short time.
Sierra Leone’s anti-graft law requires public officials to declare their assets three months into office and three months after leaving office.

Kamara said they are looking at Kargbo’s previous asset declarations to find out whether she could have abused her office or was involved in any activity during her tenure that presented a conflict of interest.