MALADOR Qatar Recruitment Case Referred to CID as Probe Deepens
By Our Staff Writer
The Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, has confirmed that the MALADOR Qatar recruitment case involving 28 Sierra Leoneans has been formally referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.
Speaking during an interview on Radio Democracy, the Minister said the decision follows the expiration of a five-day ultimatum previously issued to the company, which he noted had not been complied with.
“I instructed my team yesterday to forward the MALADOR Qatar recruitment case to the CID today, as the five-day ultimatum given to the company has elapsed,” he stated.
Minister Swaray explained that the investigation is focused on determining whether all legal and regulatory procedures were followed in the recruitment and deployment of the workers who travelled to Qatar.
He warned that if the ongoing investigation establishes that due process was not followed, the case could amount to human trafficking.
“If it is proven that due process was not followed in the recruitment of the 28 Sierra Leoneans to Qatar, then that constitutes human trafficking,” the Minister said.
He further noted that authorities are examining whether MALADOR obtained the necessary exit clearance and other required documentation from relevant government institutions before facilitating the workers’ departure.
“We want to ascertain whether due process was followed and whether the company secured the appropriate exit clearance for the 28 Sierra Leoneans who travelled to Qatar for employment,” he added.
The Minister stressed that the mode of travel is not under scrutiny, but rather compliance with established labour and migration procedures.
“What matters is not whether they travelled by flight or otherwise, but whether all legal requirements were satisfied before they left the country,” he emphasized.
The referral to the CID marks a new phase in the investigation as authorities intensify efforts to determine possible violations of labour laws and recruitment regulations linked to overseas employment arrangements.
