The process to remove suspended Auditor General Lara Taylor-Pearce has officially begun following the submission of the Tribunal Report to Parliament. Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohamed Lamin Tarawalley, submitted the report to the Clerk of Parliament, Hon. Paran Tarawally, as directed by President Julius Maada Bio.

The report, which has not yet been made public, pertains to allegations of professional misconduct against Taylor-Pearce and her deputy, Tamba Momoh. Both were suspended in 2021 amidst an investigation into the auditing of alleged fake receipts within the Office of the President. Despite these allegations, Taylor-Pearce and Momoh have consistently denied any wrongdoing and claim they have not been provided with a copy of the report recommending their removal.

While the Clerk of Parliament confirmed the receipt of the Tribunal Report, he did not specify a timeline for when it would be debated and voted on by Members of Parliament. However, it is anticipated that the report will be presented in Parliament on Friday, August 30, 2024, when MPs return from recess.

The handling of the case has drawn significant attention from Civil Society Organizations, including the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), who have repeatedly called for the report to be made public. As of now, the government has not released the details of the report to the public.

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