20th January, 2025
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Sierra Leone, under the leadership of Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., has been taking robust actions to combat corruption in the country, especially actions directed at addressing issues contained in the Auditor General’s reports. Over the last six years, the ACC has conducted multiple investigations based on the Auditor General’s findings, resulting in several convictions and the recovery of whopping amounts of stolen public funds.
The ACC is a statutory body responsible for preventing, investigating, and prosecuting corruption and other related offences in Sierra Leone, as enshrined in Part II, Section 6(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act (ACA) 2008, as amended in 2019.
The Auditor General’s report is a yearly audit of all government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). It highlights instances of mismanagement, fraud, and corruption within these institutions.
The ACC has been actively collaborating with the Auditor General’s office to ensure that those implicated in the report are held accountable.
The ACC has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) to enhance cooperation and effective actions on the annual reports of the ASSL.
Over the past six years, the ACC has used Audit Reports to investigate several cases of corruption and other related offences within the government. The ACC has prosecuted and secured convictions against several high-ranking officials.
Every year, the ACC works relentlessly to recover stolen assets from corrupt officials named in the audit report. For example, in a press release dated 15th March 2022, the ACC informed members of the public that; “it recovered and returned to the state a total sum of over Two Billion (old) Leones, arising from issues in the 2015-2018 Audit Reports, charged Two matters to court, and examined the practices and procedures of public bodies, advised on the changes in practices with a view of limiting corruption opportunities.”
Upon the release and receipt by the Commission, of the Audit Reports for 2019 and 2020, and after a thorough review by investigators at the ACC, the Commission initiated actions, with the view of investigating, prosecuting, or recovering public funds, revenue, or properties as the case may be. In several serialized Media Releases, the Commission, from 15th March 2022 onwards, informed members of the public on the issues raised by ASSL and the actions taken.
For instance, the issue of unpaid withholding taxes, among others, was a big issue for most local councils, and the ACC was able to recover all outstanding payments on behalf of the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
Furthermore, the ACC has taken proactive steps to combat corruption by enhancing institutional structures and processes.
The Commission has held several capacity-building workshops and trainings for government officials, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders on best practices for preventing and combating corruption, as government losses can be attributed to weak systems within these institutions.
In summary, in the last six years, the ACC has conducted multiple investigations based on the Auditor General’s findings, resulting in several convictions and the recovery of considerable amounts of stolen public funds. Under Commissioner Kaifala’s leadership, the ACC has also prioritized prevention by instilling transparency and accountability in government institutions and the private sector.
In the wake of the release of the 2023 Auditor General’s Report, Commissioner Kaifala has assured members of the public that concrete actions will be taken to ensure that where there are clear cases of misappropriation, thorough investigations will be undertaken in a bid to recover stolen funds and hold those responsible accountable. We trust his ability and determination to deliver again this time.
Credit: Bernard Abass Kargbo, Public Education Officer, ACC, Public Relations Unit, ACC
