ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION
INTEGRITY HOUSE
TOWER HILL, FREETOWN
SIERRA LEONE, WEST AFRICA
Ref: ACC/PR/24/011
14th June, 2024
MEDIA RELEASE
The public may recall that sometime in January 2024, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) published a Press Release in which it indicated that it had commenced investigation into an allegation that the Clerk of Parliament, Hon. Umar Paran Tarawally, had improperly employed his wife, Mrs. Abibatu Parana Tarawally, and that the wife received salaries and other allowances from September 2021 to March 2023 without actual work or being entitled to it.
Our investigations confirmed that:
- Mrs. Abibatu Parana Tarawally benefited from salaries and other allowances in the capacity as Human Resource (HR) Officer from September, 2021 to March, 2023 (19 months).
- Mrs. Tarawally’s net salary per month for the said period was Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy-six Leones (Le 7,676).
- Mrs. Tarawally admitted to have been employed as a replacement staff sometime in November, 2021, worked for only a few days and fell ill, which warranted her to travel out of the country for medical attention.
- She received salaries and allowances for a period of 19 months in total, amounting to One Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-two Leones (Le 156,422).
The sum of One Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-two Leones (Le 156,422) received as salaries and allowances for the period Mrs. Tarawally is alleged to have worked has been recovered from her and paid into the ACC Recovery Account.
Concerning Hon. Umar P. Tarawally, the investigation established that, while he denies playing any role in his wife’s employment, it is implausible that he was not aware of same. He therefore failed in his supervisory responsibilities as Clerk albeit that the matter did not meet the prosecutorial threshold for an indictment to be preferred. Hon. Umar Paran Tarawally has therefore been referred to the President for appropriate administrative action.
In light of the above, Mrs. Abibatu Parana Tarawally having refunded the full amount that was paid to her during the period in question and having consented to a settlement of the matter pursuant to Section 89 (1) (b)(i)(ii) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 (as amended in 2019) must:
- Also pay an interest of 10% on the said sum amounting to Fifteen Thousand Six Hundred and Forty-two Leones (Le 15,642).
- Is precluded from holding public office for a period not less than five years, as provided for in Section 89 Subsection (1)(b)(i)(ii) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 (as amended in 2019).
In addition, the Corruption Prevention Department of the ACC will work with the Office of the Clerk of Parliament and the Human Resources Department of the Parliamentary Service Commission to help strengthen and establish efficient systems and processes that will prevent such administrative anomalies from recurring.
The Commission remains grateful to the Leadership and Members of Parliament, the Parliamentary Service Commission, the Accountant General’s Department, and the Ministry of Finance for their support and cooperation during the investigations. The ACC also extends its profound appreciation to the Public for their interest and patience while we diligently investigated this matter over the past several months.
For further enquiries on this and other ACC matters, please contact Sylvanus Blake, Public Relations Officer, on +232-78-832131 or via email info@anticorruption.gov.sl.
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ABUBAKARR TURAY
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
