By Henry Kargbo

The Sierra Leone Auditor General’s Report has indicated that huge cash was mismanaged by the Sierra Leone Marine Times Admiration (SLMA) under the purview of the former Executive Director.

In fact the Administration over any yearly Auditor general report, Maritime Admiration always top the list of massive corruption, viewer’s had indicated that SLMA has been an hub of massive corruption. The report’s highlighted that, that the SLMA pays a total of SLE5, 584,602.15 without any payment vouchers and related supporting document.“In the same 2022, an amount of SLE10, 292,006 was also withdrawn without adequate supporting documents such as invoices, delivery notes, end-user requests, receipts and bank-to-office report. Meanwhile in 2022, payment totalling SLE1, 127,044.19 were also without evidence to approval from the former Acting Executive Director…

“The Audit Report recommended that the Director of Finance at SLMA should submit the missing supporting documents to the ASSL, otherwise the amount of monies should be paid back into the administration’s account with evidence of approval from the former Acting Executive Director should be submitted for audit inspection.”

Unpaid withholding taxes, the auditors observed that a total of SLE50, 576 were not deducted from payments to suppliers and service providers. Unpaid withholding taxes at the start of the year was SLE1,037,814 and additional withholding taxes deducted during the period under review totalled SLE790,759, making a total of SLE1,828,573, However, evidence of payment of these amounts was not submitted to the ASSL.

The report indicated that the unpaid withholding tax amount in the draft Financial Statements totalled SLE1, 340, 00 contrary to the recalculated amount of SL1, 828,573. The report recommended that the Director of Finance and former Acting Executive Director should make payment of the outstanding withholding taxes.

In order to make this article balanced, we give provision for the official response of Marine Times. It official response states: “(i) Four hundred thousand Leones (SLE400, 000) has been paid on account and a firm commitment has been made to pay the remaining by instalments. (ii) Moving forward, we will not allow withholding tax obligations to accrue. Evidence of payment will be made available for verification.”