Four senior officials of the Anglican Diocese of Bo in Sierra Leone have been sentenced to three years imprisonment after having been convicted of stealing over 2 Billion Leones (approximately $275,000) in donations gathered by Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) and the United Society (USPG) to support of victims of the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa.<\/p>\n
The trial continues for the Bishop of Bo, the Rt. Rev. Emmanuel Tucker, who remains free on bail after posting a 500 million Leones bond.<\/p>\n
An estimated 11,000 people died over 21 months beginning in 2014 from the virus in West Africa, leading to travel bans from Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone from a number of Western nations, and a collapse in the local economy.<\/p>\n
In February 2016 Bishop Tucker was lauded by the USPG\u2019s Mike Brookes, who told a fringe meeting of the Church of England\u2019s General Synod the bishop had helped combat the virus through health and sanitation education, and dispelling fears the virus was a curse.<\/p>\n