By Staff Writer
Former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Honourable Sidie Mohamed Tunis, has asked Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to investigate an issue he says arose during his recent United States visa interview.
Tunis was interviewed at the United States Embassy in Freetown on September 3, 2026. According to a formal complaint reportedly submitted to the Ministry, the former Speaker said a consular officer questioned him about a person identified as Chapator Bah.
Tunis said the officer told him that Bah had allegedly obtained a United States visa in 2023 using the position of Executive Assistant to the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.
According to Tunis, the officer further indicated that Bah’s alleged failure to return to Sierra Leone after travelling to the United States was linked to the recent visa decision.
The former Speaker has denied knowing or employing anyone by that name in the position mentioned during the interview.
He said the matter raised serious concerns because the alleged 2023 visa application reportedly relied on a note verbale similar to the document used in his own application.
Tunis has therefore called on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to establish the origin and authenticity of the 2023 note verbale and determine how it was allegedly used in connection with the visa application.
The former Speaker said he had never appointed or authorised anyone called Chapator Bah to serve as his Executive Assistant at the ECOWAS Parliament.
He described the issue as a matter that could affect his personal reputation and raise questions about Sierra Leone’s representation at the regional institution.
In his complaint, Tunis requested that the Ministry conduct an immediate investigation and provide clarification on the circumstances surrounding the alleged document.
He also called for the relevant authorities to establish whether the note verbale was genuinely issued through official channels and, if so, who was responsible for its submission.
Tunis has given the Ministry seven working days from receipt of his letter to address the matter.
He warned that failure to resolve the issue within that period could lead him to pursue legal action to protect his name and reputation.
The allegations have not been independently established, and the Ministry’s response to the complaint was not included in the information available for this report.
The matter now rests with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has been asked to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged visa documentation and provide clarification.
