­Sierra Leone’s Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) has recovered Le187 Million cash, from the Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr in the case of ineligible and improper payment to a non-staff of Council that was flagged by the Auditor-General’s 2019 report, thereby bringing to a close of the issue. 

ACC made this revelation in a press release issued today, 26 August 2022.

The ACC noted that on 23rd August, 2022, through its non-conviction based asset recovery process, recovered in full the total sum of One Hundred and Eighty Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Three (Old) Leones (Le: 187,904,803.00) cash, being monies which Audit Service Sierra Leone flagged as inappropriately paid from the Freetown City Council (FCC) funds, by the Council to the Head of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit.

“The said monies were paid to the Commission by “Interested Persons” through our civil recovery process, following negotiations in that regard_” ACC stated.

The Commission however, recalled that in a Media Release dated 11th May, 2022, it was stated that the Commission had concluded investigation into the Freetown City Council (FCC), relating to issues highlighted on the Council in the 2019 Auditor General’s Report concerning payments of Council funds to a staff of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit.

“The payments totaling One Hundred and Eighty Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Three (Old) Leones (Le 187,904,803) according to the 2019 Audit Report, were paid to the Head of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit (MDU),” ACC added.

The Commission confirmed in its investigations that the monies paid to Head of the Mayor’s Delivery Unit were not consistent with the Local Government Act of 2004 and other regulations relating to the utilization and management of public funds and resources. It therefore recommended a civil recovery process. With the payment of the aforesaid sum of money, the civil recovery process has been completed and the file has now been closed.

“In that regard, the ACC wishes to reassure the general public that it will not relent in ensuring that public funds are protected, and where necessary, recovered,” ACC concluded.