A dispute has emerged between the University of Sierra Leone (USL) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) following the ACC’s May 8 report on allegations of procurement breaches at USL’s Business Centre.

The ACC investigation was launched into alleged administrative, financial, procurement, and governance irregularities at USL between 2021 and 2023  issues that current Vice Chancellor Prof. Aiah Lebbie had also referred to an internal committee.

The ACC said allegations of financial misconduct at the Business Centre were “unsupported” and found no evidence of financial misconduct by the Finance Director. It noted that the Business Centre, as a private company, is not subject to public procurement law, and that the four vehicles it procured were “Board-approved” and under budget.

On Le 6.5 million in transactions flagged by USL’s investigation committee, the ACC said: “No evidence of misappropriation or financial misconduct by the Director of Finance was established” and “all supporting documentation was presented, verified, and transactions were cleared” after audit by the Audit Service Sierra Leone and investigation by the ACC.

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However, the ACC cited “serious administrative concerns” over the Ministry’s dissolution of the University Court and overlapping leadership roles. It said USL’s internal probe had procedural flaws and failed to consult statutory auditors. The ACC added that the Ministry’s intervention led USL to cease business with the Centre after April 26, 2023, resulting in “a sharp decline in sales, stock stagnation, and financial losses.” Significant receivables remain outstanding from constituent colleges, affecting liquidity, it said.

The report noted that Fourah Bay College failed to provide documentation on overhead utilization due to “poor administrative set-up” and the absence of a coherent university-wide system. Delays in 2022-2023 financial statements were attributed to SAGE accounting system upgrades and staff capacity challenges, while 2021 records were submitted. “ACC findings do not support the Committee’s findings,” the report stated.

The ACC also said USL “lacks a centralized research grant management framework,” an issue it said requires urgent reform, and noted that the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences independently developed a compliant system with international partners.

Key ACC recommendations include that the University must “defer to and respect ongoing Audit Service SL audits, ensure due process in future probes, formally recognize the Business Centre’s autonomy, and adopt COMAHS’ grant management system university-wide.”

In a position paper issued on May 20, USL Management said it accepts evidence-based findings of 17 policy breaches from its Court-mandated Policy Sub-Committee but rejects key aspects of the ACC’s report. It accused the ACC of minimizing systemic failures and misrepresenting administrative actions, stating: “Importantly, the ACC report ignores or minimizes the findings of a separate Court-mandated Sub-Committee on Procurement Policy.”

USL clarified that the Registrar and Finance Director were sent on leave in January 2024 by the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education because their five-year contracts had expired, at a time when the USL Court had been dissolved. “Neither individual was accused of corruption, nor were they dismissed,” USL said, adding that any suggestion they were treated unfairly is “unsubstantiated.” It also argued that the Business Centre must be accountable when using public capital.

On the Business Centre, USL said that while the ACC’s legal argument is “technically correct,” it “misses the core governance concern.” It cited findings that the BC manager engaged in procurement outside her mandate, that the National Public Procurement Authority cautioned USL against allowing the BC to procure in 2021, and that the BC acted as both supplier and facilitator, creating a conflict of interest under Section 33(1)(c) of the Public Procurement Act 2016.

USL further stated: “The BC’s separate legal personality does not exempt it from accountability when it uses public capital and performs state-like procurement functions.” It rejected the ACC’s characterization of internal probes, noting that two independent bodies – INVCOM and the Policy Sub-Committee – reached similar conclusions on systemic issues.

The University said accepting the ACC report uncritically would have “dangerous implications” for institutional governance. On research grants, it said a central policy is needed and that enforcement of the 10% overhead has been absent. On financial reporting, it said “delays are serious” and SAFO non-submission must be addressed.

Citing five internal reports from January to March 2025, USL said it will implement corrective recommendations, including an investment policy for the Business Centre and a Centralized Monitoring and Evaluation Unit.

USL concluded by asking the ACC Commissioner “to instruct the Director of Crimes to issue an apology to USL, and retract the report, which now circulates in public, lacking in balanced presentation.”

ACC Deputy Director of Public Relations Sylvanus Blake, speaking on Morning Devotion, said the Commission will not retract or apologize. “Never, we will not retract nor apologise,” Blake said. “Our competence is above retracting, and we are not working based on anybody’s perception. This is a professional institution for 26 years.”

He added: “We are reacting to what they have gone public to ask is not possible, no apology, and no retraction from the ACC or the Director of Crimes and Operations,” maintaining that “This is a professional position, it will stand the test of time.”

Blake said the Commission conducts several permutations and calculations before releasing reports and findings across sectors, and that the Commission is “always ready for any eventuality” and that “nothing will take us a back.”