The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has announced the judgment made on the embezzlement Matter involving the Accountant of the SLRA, Emmanuel Smart and the Accountant at the Accountant General Department, Ibrahim Musa.

The judgment in Pursuant to Section 7(1) of the Anti-Corruption Amendment Act, 2019, was announced as follows:

  1. An IMMEDIATE BAN FROM HOLDING PUBLIC OFFICE for a minimum of 3 YEARS IMPOSED on two named Public Officers at the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF) for being primarily responsible for the EMBEZZLEMENT of a total of Le8.6Million Leones;
  2. FULL RECOVERY of all the TOTAL amount embezzled from them in the sum of NLe8.6 Million AND a further 10% INTEREST levied on the sum that they succeeded to take out of the banking system before the rest was intercepted and blocked amounting to NLE465 Thousand cash.
  3. Recommended STRONG ADMINISTRATIVE action against others at the Minsitry of Finance alleged to have played roles in the corrupt scheme by their respective institutions.

This decision comes after thorough investigation by the Commission into the matter.

The SLRA Staff and the Accountant General’s Department, was alleged to have embezzled Eight Million Six Hundred Thousand (New) Leones being money meant as payment for the completion of the construction of the Kenema-Pendembu Highway.

The said amount according to the ACC was criminally diverted and shared amongst them. The ACC was able to retrieve the full amount plus 10% interest from them and has banned them from holding public office in the country for three years.