By: Mohamed Jalloh
Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohamed-Lamin Tarawally, set to table in Parliament, the Report on former Auditor General, Lara Taylor-Pearce and her deputy Tamba Momoh.
The former auditor general and her deputy were suspended in November, 2021, for stated misconduct. The authority that was given to the tribunal was to consider the allegations against the auditor general and her deputy.
Over two years since she was suspended under disciplinary circumstances, Sierra Leone’s Auditor General, Lara Taylor-Pearce, would likely be removed from office.
The decision was announced by the Office of the President, after a review of the report by the tribunal set up by President Julius Maada Bio to investigate the matter.
In December 2021, a tribunal was established to investigate these allegations. Fast forward to June 2024, the tribunal has presented its report to the President, and although the contents of the report remain undisclosed, speculation abounds that it recommends Taylor-Pearce’s removal from office.
This recommendation must now be approved by a two-thirds majority in Parliament as per Section 137(10) of our Constitution.
Her solicitors filed papers in the Supreme Court, seeking, among other things, the Court’s interpretation of sections 137(4), 137(5), and 137(6) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991.
The charges against Taylor-Pearce and Momoh hinge on the alleged ‘breach of confidentiality and professional misconduct’ during a compliance audit of the Office of the President.
Specifically, the concern was that the Auditor General contacted hotels in Lebanon, South Africa, and The Gambia to verify receipts submitted for audit without the explicit approval of the Office of the President.
However, it is unclear whether it is common practice for auditors to independently verify documents and information in the course of their duties, requiring permission from the audit to be audited. This sticking point would be proven by two-thirds majority of the house of parliament in due course.
