By: Fatima Rogers
The first prosecution witness for the state Ibrahim Barrie has on Monday 9th October 2023, testified in the ongoing tribunal matter before three judges including Justice Nyawo Finda Matturi-Jones chair of the pannel, Justice Lahai Farma and Justice Ivan Ansumana Sesay involving the former Auditor General Lara Taylor Pierce and her deputy Tamba Momoh.
The Tribunal was set up by President Bio to inquire into the alleged professional misconduct and breach of confidentiality by suspended Auditor General Lara Taylor-Pearce and her deputy Tamba Momoh.
The witness led in evidence by Lawyer A.G.M Bockarie from the office of the Attorney General said he is the principal auditor working for the audit service Sierra Leone.
Ibrahim Barrie told the tribunal that he has worked at the audit institution since 2013.
Neuf Bah, Lawyer for Lara Taylor-Pearce, pointed out that the Attorney General’s Office failed to submit summary of witnesses’ details among other things before calling such witnesses before the tribunal; saying they were taken by surprise and would be embarrassed if cross examination were to be carried out on the witness today.
But Justice Ansumana Ivan Sesay of the Court of Appeal who is sitting on the Tribunal, advised the lawyer to move forward.
The tribunal proceeded thereafter with Ibrahim Barrie, the principal auditor who told the inquiry that during his ten years’ service, Lara Taylor Pearce has until her suspension been the auditor general, Tamba Momoh as her deputy for the specialized division, Selvin Bell was the deputy in charge of Finance and Corporate Services, Abdul Aziz in charge of ministries and local authorities who’s currently acting as auditor general and Aiah Gbondo Tugbawa for public enterprises.
He told the tribunal that he has audited office of the president which is categorized as a government department having various units including the offices of the first Lady, chief minister and secretary to the president among others since 2019.
Deputy auditor general for specialized division said he is charged with auditing the office of the Secretary to the President.
What they carries out he said was compliance audit in order to identify activities and determine whether they were carried out in accordance with established laws.
For the 2020 audit on the Office of Secretary to the President, he said they identified among other issues expenditures without supporting documents, non-retirement of foreign and local travels, assets procured not recorded in the asset register.
The said issues he said were however resolved during the verification process but was further submitted to the deputy auditor general Tamba Momoh for final review and there were final verification and compliance reports issued by Mr. Momoh directed to secretary to the president.
He said the conclusions of the deputy auditor general differ from the reports the team had originally submitted and didn’t ask the team as per standard practice to do any additional verification work.
“The issues that had been resolved later became unresolved and we were bypassed on how those conclusions were reached” Barrie informed the tribunal.
At this juncture, the prosecutor requested for an adjournment on the grounds that they have bundles of documents to tender and that they have served the defense team for perusal.
The witness will continue his testimony on Thursday 12th October.