Octea Mining Threatens To Sue First Lady For ‘Unlawful Interference, incitement & Damages
The Parent Company of Koidu Holdings, octea Mining Company, has threatened to take legal action against the First Lady for what they described as ‘incitement, unlawful interference, defamation and damages’ done against the company.
The Company stated its intention in a letter addressed to the First Lady of the republic of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Fatima Bio by its Director and General Counsel, Mr. Gustaf Fredrik.
In the letter dated 6th May,2025, the company undresses and rubbishes the First Lady corruption allegations leveled against the company, describing it as ‘false statement’ that lacks any iota of truth.
“You made false statements against the company based only on hearsay evidence that you have failed to disclose which strongly suggests it is lacking”, the letter states, accusing the first lady to have incited the employees of the company to stage ‘illegal strike’ action which has impacted the company operation and causing serious financial loss.
Gustaf Fredrik stated that the First lady action had prompted the company to resort into care and maintenance as stipulated in the mines and mineral act, which enables to company to halt operation.
He cleared the company of any wrongdoing or corruption and challenge the first Lady to produce evidence that implicated the company for corruption.
He went on to state that the illegal strike action commenced on 3rd march,2025 by the company employees facilitated by the First Lady has caused irrecoverable financial loses to the company, exceeding $16m, which are increasing daily and $20m to recommence operation.
In light of the forgoing, Gustaf Fredrik , stated the company intention to take legal action against the First Lady in the High Court of Sierra Leone, royal court of Guernsey, filing a formal complaint to the African Commission on Human Rights and People’s rights in Gambia, and seeking international Travel Restrictions, arrest warrant and sanctions, including direct referral to diplomatic and multilateral bodies.
An hours later, the Anti-Corruption Commission issued out a press release, disclosing that Koidu Holdings is under its net for various corruption offences including corporate and other tax evasion, failure to apply appropriate deduction to employees emoluments and onward payment to the appropriate state institutions, Abuse of power among other things.
The ACC, however, responded to the allegations leveled against the First Lady by Octea Mining in relation to siphoning of public funds for personal gains. Setting the record straight, the ACC intimated that what the Commission investigated was whether it was proper for public funds to be allocated to the said office. The commission, in its findings, unearthed that considering the previous first ladies who received larger allocations, it was indeed proper for the office of the First Lady to receive funds either through the office of the President or other Ministries, Department and Agencies, as obtained in the past in support of projects the office undertake in support of the president or government.
The ACC concludes by promising to keep the public abreast after they have completed its investigation against Koidu Holdings, a subsidiary of octea mining company.
