The Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested the Executive Director of National Sports Authority Dr. Kenneth Brima to answer questions on how funds disbursed for the Sierra Leone Vs Benin match was spent. 

He is at the Anti Corruption Commission headquarters in Freetown answering to questions relating to funds for the Sierra Leone-Benin 2021 Nations Cup qualifier in June in Conakry for the second day in a row.

Abu Bakarr Turay, Deputy Director of Public Education and Outreach at the ACC confirmed that Brima made his first appearance yesterday, 18th August 2021.

It could be recalled that the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) in a press release dated 26th March 2021 made clarification on government funding for National Team (Leone Stars) Matches in Lesotho and Benin after the Ministry of Finance announced disbursement of funds for the two matches and the Paralympic games in Tunisia.

SLFA thanked the Ministry of Finance for their support and further informed the public that at no point in time has neither National Sports Authority (NSA) nor the Ministry of Sports (MOS) made the SLFA privy of the published amounts Le8,835,325,769 despite several requests by SLFA officials.

SLFA also confirmed that the sums published in the release do not reflect the budget request presented to the MOS/NSA by the Sierra Leone Football Association for the matches (Lesotho and Benin).

“Contrary to the Ministry of Finance approved amount of Le8,835,325,769, the FA can confirm that it officially requested from the NSA/MOS the sum of Le1,923,750,000 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Three Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Leones) for the Lesotho vs Sierra Leone match in Maseru,” SLFA maintained.

SLFA also mentioned that Contrary to the MOF approved amount of Le2,449,456,888, the FA can confirm that it officially requested from the NSA/MOS the sum of Le2,450,060,000 (Two Billion, Four Hundred and Fifty Million, and Sixty Thousand Leones) for Sierra Leone vs Benin match in Freetown on the 30th March 2021, adding that the amount includes the cost for foreign-based players (flight costs, accommodation, feeding) and CAF match officials as well.

“There are no records in our correspondence to the MOS/NSA of requesting the said amount in respect of allowances for players. The allowances of players and technical officials for the said match inclusive of winning bonuses is LeI,078,100,000 (One Billion, and Seventy-Eight Million, One Hundred Thousand Leones) only,” the FA pointed out.

SLFA furthered that the Lesotho vs Sierra Leone match is based on a reciprocal agreement- meaning, the SLFA/GOSL will only be liable to cover the costs of the Sierra Leone delegation flights and extras for the remaining 9 officials in Lesotho and that all expenditures at the national stadium ahead of the Benin match is being undertaken by the SLFA without the financial assistance of the NSA or MOS.