A property registration exercise at Approved School has taken a new turn after documents carrying the name and logo of the Ministry of Social Welfare were found alongside records showing money being collected from residents.
The documents, an audio recording and a payment receipt obtained by Drone Newspaper raise questions about who authorized the exercise, what the money was for and the role, if any, of the Ministry of Social Welfare.
At the centre of the investigation is a document headed “Approved School Working Committee Resource Mobilization for the Surveying of Properties at Approved School.”
The form has spaces for residents’ names, phone numbers, amounts paid and signatures.
The investigation also obtained property registration cards carrying the name and logo of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Government of Sierra Leone.
The cards are headed “REGISTRATION OF PROPERTIES IN APPROVED SCHOOL KUNTORLOH” and carry individual registration codes.
The presence of the Ministry’s name and logo on the cards is one of the main issues raised by the investigation, because it gives the exercise a direct appearance of being connected to the Ministry.
The newspaper also obtained an audio recording in which the Acting PRO of the Approved School Working Committee, Mr. Barry, speaks about the exercise.
In the recording, Mr. Barry says the Ministry of Social Welfare had told the committee what it wanted from them. He also says records of people who contributed money would be submitted to the Ministry.
The committee further told residents that records were being kept and that people who made contributions would receive documentation connected to the exercise.
Another issue is the money involved.
In the audio recording, a Le30,000 contribution is mentioned. But a handwritten receipt obtained during the cause of the investigation and dated 20 July 2026, shows a payment of Le1,000 in connection with Approved School Market.
The two amounts are different, and the evidence currently available does not establish whether they relate to the same payment, different categories of contribution or different parts of the exercise.
That is one of the questions the investigation seeks to answer.
The investigation also raises questions over who gave the committee the authority to collect money, where the money was going and whether the collection was part of the official property-surveying exercise.
Most importantly, the evidence needs to be reconciled with the Ministry’s position that it was aware of the registration exercise, but not the money collection.
When contacted by Drone Newspaper, Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karminty, confirmed that she knew about a registration exercise at Approved School. She, however, said she did not know about the collection of money.
“I know about a registration exercise, what I don’t know about is money collection.”
The Minister said the Ministry had set up a committee involving the Ministry of Lands, the Attorney-General’s Office, Internal Affairs, community representatives and representatives of the Ministry of Social Welfare.
According to her, the committee was established to assess illegal occupants of the land and gather information that could be taken to Cabinet. She said the purpose was to enable Cabinet to decide on the way forward regarding the occupancy of the land.
“The result will be made public after all the processes are completed,” the Minister said.
Her response confirms that there was an official registration or assessment process involving the Ministry, but she draws a clear line between that exercise and the money collection.
Well done. We hope and pray that those who involved in collection of money will brought to book without compromise. The said land is government property not individual or market committee owned property. Let them face the consequences of their illegal actions and corrupt practice.