By: Francis F. M. Harding
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has recovered more than 180 million old Leones from Freetown City Council (FCC) being monies paid to “Non-Staff Personnel” of the Council.The ACC made this revelation in a press release it issued out on Friday 26 August 2022. The release stated that the ACC had, on 23 August 2022, through its non-conviction based asset recovery process, “recovered in full” the sum of One Hundred and Eighty Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Three (Old) Leones (Le187, 904,803.00) “cash”, being monies which Audit Service Sierra Leone flagged as “inappropriately paid from the Freetown City Council (FCC) funds”, by the Council to the Head of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit.
“The said monies were paid to the Commission by ‘Interested Persons’ through our civil recovery process, following negotiations in that regard,” stated the release.
It added: “The Commission, however, may recall that in a Media Release dated 11th May 2022, from the ACC, it was stated that the Commission had concluded investigation into the Freetown City Council (FCC), relating to issues highlighted on the Council in the 2019 Auditor General’s Report concerning payments of Council funds to a staff of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit.
The payments totalling One Hundred and Eighty Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Three (Old) Leones (Le187, 904,803) according to the 2019 Audit Report, were paid to the Head of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit (MDU).”
The release confirmed in its investigations that the monies paid to the Head of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit were “not consistent with the Local Government Act of 2004 and other regulations” relating to the utilization and management of public funds and resources. It therefore recommended a civil recovery process.
With the payment of the aforesaid sum of money, the release noted, “the civil recovery process has been completed and the file has now been closed”.
The release stated further that the ACC would like to reassure the general public that “it will not relent in ensuring that public funds are protected, and where necessary, recovered”.
The ACC commended Audit Service Sierra Leone for “their good work as one of our core partners”.
