By Francis H Murray
Magistrate Hannah Bonnie in Freetown has sent the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD), Saa Lamin Kortequee on remand at the Correctional Service for failing to pay arrears of over Le 63million to the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) on behalf employees of the Commission.
The defendant, Kortequee appeared before the NASSIT Division of the High Court on Saturday 5th September, 2020, following a court action brought against him and the Commission by the Insurance Trust for which he faces a one count indictment of failing to pay social security contribution for his workers under the 2005 Act.
The applicant alleges that Kortequee, sometime between December 2011 and February 2012, at Horticulture Compound, New England Ville, Freetown, failed to pay NASSIT contributions for workers which amounted to sixty three million, three hundred and thirty eight thousand, seven hundred and forty eight Leones and ninety one cents.
At the time the charges were put to him, the defendant entered into a guilty plea.
NASSIT lawyer, Farrakhan Sesay, informed the Court that the defendant, Sahr Lamin Kortequee and NCPD are employers under the NASSIT Act of 2005, adding that an inspection exercise conducted on the 16 October 2019 by NASSIT at the office of the Commission, revealed that the defendant has not been in compliance with the NASSIT Act and its regulations.
Lawyer Sesay added that the non-compliance over the payment after several correspondences were forwarded to the defendant in order to get him to comply with the said payment, resulting in the accumulated sum of
Sixty three million, eight hundred and eighty one thousand, seven hundred thousand Leones and forty eight cents, which was duly accepted by the defendant.
Lawyer Sesay further added that after the inspection, and despite efforts by the applicant (NASSIT) for the defendant to pay the contributions, he refused.
Defense counsel for the defendant, Daniel Jeremiah Lavally, pleaded with Magistrate Bonnie for his client to pay the said money at the end of September 2020.
Magistrate Bonnie ordered that the defendant and NCPD pay twenty five million Leones instantly or he be remanded, until the said sum is paid and for the remaining amount to be paid on the 30 September, 2020.
The NASSIT Court resumes this Saturday.
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