Guinea sentences two officials for embezzlement of Ebola funds

Two officials found guilty of misappropriation of funds intended for the fight against Ebola in Conakry, Guinea have been sentenced by a court in mafanco.

The officials are said to have embezzled more than $56,000 of the country’s Ebola fund.

A senior member of the health ministry, Ernest Paquille Guema, was given a two-year sentence while Abdoulaye Sadio Fofana of the communications team on the Anti-Ebola commission received a one-year suspended sentence.

The money was originally set aside for educating traditional healers on the dangers of the Ebola virus.

Many healers in the country believed they could cure people affected by the disease but had lost their lives while treating patients.

The deadly virus struck three neighbouring countries, Guinea, Sierra Leon and Liberia early 2014.

The situation became a world crisis when the virus spread from the three countries to other parts of the world.

The crisis led to increase in support to the three highly affected countries millions in medical supplies, cash and other means were sent to the regions.