The Commissioner of Sierra Leone Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Kaifala has Thursday explained to the BBC the reasons why he refused to investigate top government officials involved in the faka PhD scandal.

The allegations were brought up by Dr. John Idriss Lahai who alleged that over 1000 government officials have received fake PhDs from fake institutions that have given them undue advantage at the places they are working.

There have been calls from some citizens for the Anti Corruption to investigate the individuals alleged to have received fake PhDs from fake institutions, including the Inspector General of Police, Ambrose Sovula. The BBC then asked the ACC boss why he failed to investigate the government officials implicated in the matter.

According to the ACC Boss, the issue is already with the police who have the responsibility and authority to investigate general fraud, noting that the role of ACC is to investigate instances of corruption and prosecute them.

Ben Kaifala said that law requires that for somebody to commit such an offence it has to be established that the person used such thing to confer an advantage to himself.

“For example, if the requirement requires for someone to become a commissioner of ACC is you must be a lawyer, and I present a certificate to Parliament in my vetting process that made me get the job as commissioners, but it turns out that I am not a lawyer, then the offence is committed,” the ACC boss explained.

He stated that the situation is that there is no requirement for any position for somebody to have a PhD, adding that there is certainly no evidence of fact established that any of the accused used the PhDs to acquire positions.

The commissioner however stated that it may be a crime, but it must be within the confines of the Anti Corruption Act.

“There has to be element of conferring an advantage and we are saying that is absent at this stage,” he said.