By: Aminata Sesay
During a recent Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting with the Ministry, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), it was revealed that the Judiciary of Sierra Leone (JoSL) has been collecting revenue at various courts, including Pademba Road, Ross Road, and the Water Magistrate Court. However, the Judiciary failed to bank or deposit the funds into the designated accounts.
This issue was uncovered during a session at the New Administrative Building in the House of Parliament, where the PAC, chaired by Deputy Chairman Hon. P.C. Desmond Mahayei Kargobai, was probing the financial activities of the Sierra Leone Judiciary.
In response to the inquiry, a representative from the Judiciary placed the blame on the National Revenue Authority (NRA), claiming that the NRA was responsible for collecting the funds via mobile money. The representative acknowledged that, as outlined in the 2023 Auditor General’s report, the NRA did indeed collect the revenue. However, the status of these funds remained unclear, as they had not been deposited into the appropriate accounts by the time of the audit.
The Judiciary representative further disclosed that the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) had recommended setting up a committee to investigate the whereabouts of the funds. However, the representative, who declined to reveal his name due to concerns over negative press, could not confirm whether the recommended committee had been established.
The committee members expressed frustration at the Judiciary’s negligence in failing to implement the ASSL’s recommendation.
Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, a member of the committee, stated that the Judiciary should have followed the ASSL’s recommendation to set up the committee to track and ensure that the funds collected on behalf of the Judiciary were deposited into the designated account. He further criticized the Judiciary for not taking any action to recover the funds, if necessary.
According to the auditors’ recommendation, if the committee had determined that the NRA was responsible for the mismanagement of the funds, the money should have been refunded. However, the Judiciary had not taken any steps toward recovery.
Hon. Kamara also expressed concerns that the Judiciary’s failure to act pointed to possible collusion with external parties to misappropriate state funds.
Initially, the Judiciary representative claimed that no action had been taken regarding the funds. However, as the investigation progressed, the representative revealed that the Master and Registrar had engaged with the NRA to ensure that the funds were transferred to the appropriate account.
Further complicating the situation, it was revealed that revenue collected from the Water Magistrate Court had been paid out but not into the designated account. The Judiciary representative assured the committee that they would formally write to the NRA to address the issue, despite earlier verbal engagements with the agency.
The representative also explained that many of the issues raised in the 2023 audit report were inherited, as he assumed the office in July 2024. However, the committee members were unimpressed with this explanation, dismissing it as an inadequate excuse.
Despite the committee’s skepticism, the Judiciary representative assured that, although most of the issues in the report were inherited, they were working diligently to resolve them. He mentioned ongoing challenges, including technological limitations, and reiterated their commitment to ensuring accountability for the collected funds.
In summary, the Judiciary’s failure to properly manage and deposit funds has raised serious concerns among lawmakers. The investigation continues as the PAC pushes for greater accountability and transparency within Sierra Leone’s public institutions.