By Hassan Osman Kargbo
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has announced that it has filed an extensive indictment against Abdul Salim Mansaray, the former Head of Retail Operations at Ecobank (SL) Limited, alongside the bank itself and two accomplices, Tallu Jalloh and Magnus Samuel Valentine Cole.
The indictment involves a staggering 147 counts of corruption and related offenses, marking a critical development in the ACC’s ongoing mission to tackle financial corruption in Sierra Leone.
The charges against Mansaray include 57 counts of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, and various other serious allegations ranging from conspiracy to provide misleading information, and even transferring property to obscure its illegal origins, in violation of the Anti-Corruption Act and the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Act.
Ecobank (SL) Limited has also come under severe scrutiny, facing 142 counts of corruption. The bank is accused of failing to report suspicious transactions and lacking the necessary due diligence regarding customer transactions, particularly concerning transactions with significant monetary values.
Jalloh and Cole are implicated in conspiring with Mansaray to facilitate the alleged misappropriation of public funds. They each face charges of unlawfully acquiring public property, as well as being part of a conspiracy designed to commit corruption.
Investigations by the ACC indicate that between March 2022 and October 2023, Mansaray and the bank diverted substantial tax revenues that should have been paid to the National Revenue Authority (NRA). Allegedly, over 17 million new Leones were funneled away from payments by various companies, including respected entities like Oxfam and Atlantic Lumley Hotel, into the personal accounts of Jalloh and Cole.
Alarmingly, despite ECOBANK’s alleged failure to report these high-value transactions as required by law, the ACC insists that it is unwavering in its commitment to eradicating corruption from both public and private sectors. The Commission’s statement reiterates the importance of accountability and transparency in restoring public trust and safeguarding the economic integrity of the nation.
This sweeping indictment signals a strengthened resolve from the ACC to address corruption at every level, particularly in large financial institutions, as investigations and actions against financial misconduct continue with vigor.
