The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has completed the full recovery of over Three Million New Leones (NLe 3,000,000.00), equivalent to Three Billion Old Leones (Le 3,000,000,000), which was misappropriated from the coffers of the Freetown City Council (FCC).
The Commissioner of the ACC, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., on Friday, 17th July 2026, presented the final cheque to the Chief Administrator of the Freetown City Council, Rahman Tom Farma, marking the completion of the restitution process. The recovered amount includes accrued interest, ensuring that the Council suffers no financial loss from the fraudulent transaction.
The presentation ceremony, held at the Commission’s headquarters, Integrity House, Tower Hill, Freetown, ended the ACC’s intervention in the matter and further demonstrated the Commission’s commitment to ensuring that corruption does not benefit those who engage in it.
The recovery followed an investigation by the ACC into the alleged diversion of FCC revenues through the Council’s Football Club account, which was reportedly used as a channel to facilitate the unlawful withdrawal of public funds. The investigation established that Council resources were fraudulently accessed by staff members, with evidence pointing to possible collusion involving some banking officials.
Through its asset recovery mechanisms, the Commission successfully traced, recovered, and returned the misappropriated funds to the Freetown City Council.
The final payment follows two earlier recoveries: the first tranche of One Million New Leones (NLe 1,000,000.00) was presented to the Mayor of Freetown, Her Worship Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, on 9th July 2025, while the second tranche of One Million New Leones (NLe 1,000,000.00) was presented to the Chief Administrator, Rahman Tom Farma, on 20th October 2025. The final payment, together with accrued interest, completed the full recovery of the stolen funds.
Presenting the final cheque, Commissioner Kaifala described the recovery as another achievement in the Commission’s efforts to ensure that public resources lost through corruption are recovered and returned to the institutions and communities they were intended to serve.
He emphasized that asset recovery remains a critical component of the ACC’s anti-corruption strategy, noting that the Commission’s mandate goes beyond investigations and prosecutions to include securing restitution for public institutions affected by corruption.
“Gone are the days when the corrupt would enjoy their loot. Today, we take it from them and add consequences. We turn previous loss into joy for the leaders,” Commissioner Kaifala stated.
He further noted that the recovery demonstrates the ACC’s determination to pursue stolen public resources and ensure that corruption becomes both costly and unrewarding.
The successful recovery of the full amount, including accrued interest, represents another milestone in the Commission’s fight against corruption and reinforces its commitment to ensuring that every Leone lost through corrupt practices is pursued, recovered, and returned for the benefit of the people of Sierra Leone.