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According to Nightwatch newspaper, the Judiciary of Sierra Leone has been collecting and generating revenue at the Pademba Road, Ross Road, and Waterloo magistrate courts but has never paid anything into any of its national Revenue Authority accounts.
The report revealed a troubling syndicate during a session in the House of Parliament before the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Honorable PC Desmond Mahayei Kargbai, which is investigating the financial activities of the Sierra Leone Judiciary.
In response to queries, Senior Finance Officer Ezekiel Garrick from the Judiciary cast blame on the National Revenue Authority, which collects money on behalf of the Judiciary via mobile money. Garrick admitted that revenues are collected by a designated NRA staff, as stated in the 2023 Auditor General report, but noted that, at the time of the audit, the status of the money collected by the NRA on behalf of the Sierra Leone Judiciary remains unclear, as these funds are not deposited into the appropriately designated accounts.
Garrick mentioned that the Audit Service Sierra Leone recommended setting up a committee to investigate the whereabouts of the collected money. However, a representative, who refused to disclose his name, could not confirm to the PAC whether the suggested committee was established, provoking serious rebuke from PAC members who condemned the Judiciary’s negligence in complying with the audit recommendation.
Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, a committee member, stated that the Judiciary should have ensured the committee’s formation to guarantee that all collected funds were paid into designated accounts. He further emphasized that the Judiciary’s failure to demand a refund of all collected monies from the NRA indicates potential collusion between both parties.
Initially, Garrick claimed no action had been taken regarding the money, but as the investigation progressed, he informed the committee that the Master and Registrar, mentioned in the audit report, had engaged the NRA to ensure the refund of the collected monies directly into the appropriate accounts of the National Revenue Authority.
