Three NRA Officials Arrested Over Alleged Misappropriation of Le300 Billion
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has arrested and detained three officials of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) attached to the ASYCUDA Department over allegations of financial misappropriation.
According to information released by the ACC, the officials are being investigated for the alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to approximately Le 300 billion in old leones (equivalent to Le 300,000 in redenominated currency). The arrests form part of ongoing efforts by the Commission to investigate suspected financial irregularities within key public institutions.
The ACC has not yet disclosed the identities of the suspects or the specific circumstances under which the alleged funds went missing. Officials say the suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue, in line with established legal procedures.
In a related development, the Commission has also confirmed that it is investigating the Immigration Department over allegations concerning the issuance of diplomatic and service passports to individuals who may not be legally entitled to hold such documents. The probe seeks to determine whether established regulations governing the issuance of official passports were breached and whether any public officials abused their authority.
The ACC has emphasized that these are allegations under investigation and that all individuals involved are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The Commission says further updates will be provided as investigations progress.
The arrests and ongoing probes come amid renewed public attention on accountability and transparency in public finance management.
Observers note that the outcome of the investigations could have implications for institutional controls within revenue collection and immigration services in Sierra Leone.
Correction please NLe 300,000,000