2 Comments 
Renowned barrister and solicitor, Yada Williams, has issued a strong rebuttal to the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority’s (SLRSA) 11th November 2025 press release, following his public complaint that Road Safety Warden Abdulai Barrie allegedly solicited a bribe from him.
Williams described the SLRSA’s official statement as “misleading” and inconsistent with the conclusions of the Authority’s own investigative panel.
According to the barrister, the SLRSA convened an investigative panel after the 3rd November incident, chaired by the Director of Human Resources and supported by five senior Road Safety Wardens. During the 7th November hearing, both Williams and the accused warden presented their accounts of the encounter.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, the Director of Human Resources reportedly delivered a clear and formal apology on behalf of the Board and Management of the Authority, where they stated;
“On behalf of the Board, Management and staff, I want to tender our sincere apology. This is not what we train them to do. As long as you are in uniform, you represent the Authority, but what he did does not reflect the standards of the Authority. We apologise, and as an Authority, we will take administrative action.”
Williams said he was therefore “shocked” that the SLRSA’s subsequent public statement contradicted the investigative panel’s findings and apology, instead suggesting that his complaint lacked substantiation.
The barrister emphasised that his complaint was made in good faith and out of civic responsibility. He noted that corrupt practices among some wardens are widely acknowledged by motorists but often go unreported due to fear of retaliation and a lack of trust in institutional processes.
He criticised the SLRSA for implying that his allegation was invalid because it lacked audio or video evidence, arguing that this demonstrates “a misunderstanding of how bribery occurs often discreetly, swiftly, and unexpectedly.”
Williams maintained that the warden’s own admissions during the hearing were sufficient proof of misconduct. These included:
requesting that the conversation take place inside the complainant’s vehicle, away from public view, and
asking for NLe 250,000, despite having no authority to negotiate or offer any form of “discount.”
According to the barrister, these admissions validated his report as both credible and truthful. Williams also rebuffed the SLRSA’s call for him to retract what the Authority termed an “unsubstantiated media post.” He described the demand as unreasonable, particularly given that the investigative panel had earlier apologised and acknowledged wrongdoing.
He suggested that the management’s new position undermines its own investigation, stating that it “appears uncomfortable with the very findings of the panel it established.”
“My statement was made out of civic duty, not malice,” Williams said. “Sierra Leone will only improve when citizens speak up and institutions respond constructively not defensively.”
The barrister reaffirmed his account, insisting that Warden Abdulai Barrie indeed solicited a bribe from him, and declared that he stands firmly by his testimony.
Issues like these are not new to the established system of this country, across the board from top to bottom; is it not common to have complainants that are wronged being indicted & criminalized for daring to report against powerful figures, or those possessing the means to deflect justice.
The seniors in the offices have a parcel to receive at the end of the day from the young ones who face the public. In defence, the officers provide cover for this guys against the very people they serve – the entire public.