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The Anti-Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone has reminded the Sierra Leone police personnel in Makeni that, part of their responsibility is to strengthen the fight against corruption and not to be part of it.
The warning and reminder came from the Senior Public Education Officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) Northern Regional Office Abdul Karim Bangura, on the 18th August, 2023 to officers of the Northern Police Headquarters and Mena Hills Police Station in a Customized Meeting held on at their parade ground.
He rolled out the relevance of the reminder, pointing out the role of the Police Force in securing lives and property and its constant interaction with the citizenry.
Bangura maintained that a security force with a staunch stance against corruption guarantees peace and order in the country.
The Senior Public Educator also drew the attention of the officers to the landmark legal reforms the ACC has made in its relentless campaign to fight against corruption. In addition to citing increase in a one-count fine, from Thirty Thousand (New) Leones (Le 30,000) to Fifty Thousand (New) Leones (Le 50,000) and a prison term from three (3) years to five (5) years minimum, upon conviction, he further revealed the powers of the Commission to proceed with prosecution in the absence of a person with corruption charges.
He asserted that, all of these are provided for in the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 which was amended in 2019,
In response Aiah E. Samandia, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in the Northern Region, who is also the former Director of Professional Standards in the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), thanked the Commission for the engagement and commended the existing Memorandum of Understanding between the ACC and the SLP.
Referring to the allegations earlier mentioned, he said since his transfer to the Regional Police Headquarters, he has taken responsibility to remind his officers not to veer off the values of the Force.
AIG Samandia underscored the significance of integrity in enhancing efficient and effective public service delivery, adding that officers who are found to have broken the ethics of the police force in his jurisdiction would face disciplinary measures. He also called for more interactions with the ACC as was reported by the Public Relations Unit, ACC.
