By Morlai Sesay
In his radical move to stem the tide of endemic corruption in especially trusted government institutions in Sierra Leone, the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Kaifala, announced the recovery of approximately Le8.4 billion in old notes from corrupt officials within three weeks.
Mr. Kaifala shared this revelation during a news conference update on Wednesday, January 24th, 2024, at the ACC’s Tower Hill Office in Freetown. Emphasizing the end of impunity in Sierra Leone, he stated, “I made this very clear during the Ministry of Information’s well-organized press conference on accountability, where we laid bare all we have done with the Clerk of Parliament Investigation and the immediate recovery of Le4.3 Billion Old Leones cash from those involved in the SLRA and the Ministry of Finance corruption saga while we continue investigating and holding all accountable.”
The Le4.3 billion recovered from the SLRA and some officials from the Ministry of Finance was prominently displayed on a table during the press briefing, with the Commissioner stating that it would be deposited in their recovery account.
Mr. Kaifala commended the Financial Secretary, Mathew Dingie, and the Minister of Finance, Fantamadi Bangura, for providing crucial intelligence that facilitated the tracking of corrupt officials.
Highlighting the extent of corruption within certain Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Kaifala revealed that officials spent about four months, from August to December 2023, siphoning off the said amount and distributing it among themselves. However, within three weeks, the ACC successfully recovered the state funds from them.
The Commissioner expressed frustration about the prevalence of corruption in the country, stating, “The very foundation of our country for many years has been run on dishonesty.”
Kaifala applauded President Bio’s commitment to fighting corruption, acknowledging the government's support. He emphasized, “I do not doubt in my mind that the president is committed to fighting corruption,” while acknowledging the limitations of the ACC’s power to control the President’s actions.
Regarding the Clerk of Parliament, the Commissioner noted that the wife had refunded Le151 million for the 19 months she received as a salary. The ACC has recommended the President for the next course of action.
Kaifala asserted that the Commission had done everything possible to minimize corruption, but individuals still engaged in corrupt practices, depriving ordinary Sierra Leoneans. Nevertheless, he pledged to pursue those involved to make Sierra Leone a better place for every citizen.
Comments