July 8, 2021
BY PROBLYN JOHN ALPHA
The United States of America has crowned the Anti Corruption Commissioner of Sierra Leone Francis Ben Kaifala Esq as Anti-Corruption champion.
This was disclosed to our Eastern Region correspondent by the ACC Manager Kono District Madam Hawanatu Kamara when asked to throw light on the successes the commission has achieved under the leadership of Francis Ben Kaifela Esq in his three years tenure of office.
According to Hawanatu Kamara, the United States of America is pleased with strategies put in place by the commissioner to fight against corruption in the country which has placed Sierra Leone on the map in terms of fighting against corruption in Africa.
He stated that after the appointment of the commissioner on the 28th of June 2018, there were a lot of changes and robust activities.
She explained about how the commission has undertaken the amendment of the ACC Act of 2019 which increases the minimum punishment for major corruption.
She added that, before this time, when one was found guilty of any corrupt offences the ACC act of 2008 required that the person will either be imprisoned for three years or asked to pay a fine of thirty million Leones (Le 30,000,000) or can sometimes be concurrent. She maintained that the 2019 ACC act specifically made it clear that, when any one is found guilty of any corrupt offences the person should pay a fine of Five million Leones (Le 5,000,000) and at the same time be imprisoned for five years and also gives them the right to recover money misappropriated by government officials, strengthen the witness protection, mandatory band on public offices for three years, trials in absentia, direct contact and a new robust asset declaration by government officials at grade seven (7) as enshrined in the 2019 ACC act.
She however explained that for the past years, under the leadership of Francis Ben Kaifela Esq they have gotten what she described as non-conviction asset base recovery.
She pointed out that the commission has recovered over Thirty Billion Leones which is equivalent to Twenty Eight Million Dollars.
Hawanatu Kamara when talking on the challenges they are faced with, noted that logistic and staff issues are the biggest challenges they are faced with nothing that regardless of the challenges every one especially key position holders are to desist from corruption.