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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has secured convictions in 12 of 13 High Court cases concluded in 2025, achieving a 92 percent success rate while recovering more than NLe23.5 million from corruption-related matters.
Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala presented the Commission’s 2025 Annual Report to President Julius Maada Bio at State House on Wednesday, highlighting stronger enforcement results and near-universal asset declaration compliance.
The report disclosed that 1,541 public officers were sanctioned for failing to declare their assets for 2024. The enforcement measures pushed the overall asset declaration compliance rate to 99.54 percent.
Beyond the convictions, recoveries from corruption-related matters totalled NLe23,556,597. Convicted individuals also paid NLe1,394,491 in restitution and NLe1,460,000 in fines.
Sierra Leone recorded its eighth consecutive year of strong performance on the Millennium Challenge Corporation scorecard, with the country scoring 71 percent on the Control of Corruption indicator.
On Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, Sierra Leone improved from 114th in 2024 to 109th out of 182 countries in 2025. The country’s CPI score rose from 33 to 34, surpassing the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 32.
President Bio described corruption as “an enemy of the state and a natural risk to the development of a nation,” warning that the fight requires sustained commitment because corruption itself remains persistent. He urged the ACC to remain vigilant against emerging technological risks, including the abuse of artificial intelligence to undermine institutions.
Deputy Commissioner Augustine Foday Ngobie explained that the presentation fulfils the statutory requirement under Section 19(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act No. 12 of 2008, as amended in 2019.
He highlighted major reforms during the year, including the development of the Whistleblower and Witness Protection Regulations 2025 in collaboration with the Attorney-General’s Office and Parliament. The regulations establish mechanisms against retaliation for individuals who report corruption in the public interest.
The report also detailed the full rollout of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2024–2028, which focuses on corruption prevention through a multi-sectoral approach. The Commission has facilitated the establishment of 118 integrity management committees in public offices to address corruption and improve service delivery.