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The Tribunal that was set up in November last year to investigate Sierra Leone’s suspended Auditor General, Lara Taylor-Pearce and her Deputy, Tamba Momoh will start sitting today.
The Auditor General and her Deputy were suspended in early November last year on allegations of misconduct and breaching of finance and procurement laws of Sierra Leone.
Taylor-Pearce and her Deputy will face a three-member tribunal which is led by a retired Supreme Court judge, Finda Nyawo Matturi-Jones.
Earlier, the suspended Auditor-General went to the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone and sworn an Affidavit in support of an action she has taken against six defendants in the Supreme Court, including the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Judicial and Legal Service Commission, Hon Justice Ngawo Jones (retired).
“I have been advised by my solicitor and I verily believe that none of the appointees to the Tribunal established by public notice dated 17 November 2021 are qualified pursuant to section 137 (5Xa) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone. None of the appointees have held office as a substantive judge of the Supreme Court,” Taylor-Peare stated.
However, the commencement of the Tribunal today means that her ‘Affidavit of Support’ was overruled by the Supreme Court, and the appointed Tribunal will be made public at the Law Court Building at Siaka Stevens Street in Central Freetown.
“The decision to suspend the two was roundly condemned locally and internationally especially because the audit service had just prepared their annual report on public spending for 2020 which proved damning. And Mrs Taylor-Pearse is seen as having been consistent throughout her 10 years as the country’s chief auditor,” BBC’s Umaru Fofanah stated.
“Sources say today’s proceedings will witness objections galore – from the mandate or eligibility of the tribunal members to the case against the two,” he added.
