By Amin Kef Sesay
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), in a Press Release dated 21st December 2020 , stated that the tabling in Parliament and publication of the Auditor General’s Report for the Financial Year ended 31st December, 2019 and the COVID-19 Report by the Audit Service Sierra Leone have been brought to its attention and that it has commenced immediate examination of the same.
It continued that it attaches utmost importance to the Auditor General’s Reports adding that as such, in recent times, the Commission had provided and will continue to provide updates to the public through Serialized Media Releases on the many interventions and outcomes in regard to the Audit Reports 2015-2018 which resulted in investigations, prosecutions, convictions, recovery of huge sums, prevention measures, and, in appropriate situations, exoneration and clearing of persons and institutions.
More importantly, it was stated, the Commission is also cognizant of the role of Parliament regarding the issue and it shall be collaborating with them.
The Commission preliminarily notes that that there are various issues in the report that it had already commenced or concluded investigations into either due to the fact that they arose in the year 2019 or, they were already the subject of investigations before the conclusion of the audit. It states that for those still under investigation, it will continue and conclude them speedily. For the rest, it will work with Parliament and Audit Service Sierra Leone to ensure that each party performs its role to ensure that the various issues of concern are speedily and accordingly addressed without favour for anyone.
It was underscored that the ACC is now examining the Reports with a view to ascertaining violations of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 as Amended in 2019, or needs for intervention by the ACC; and/or identify system weaknesses within the audited institutions for appropriate prevention efforts to address them.
The Commission also wishes to make it very clear that anyone found wanting shall face the full consequences prescribed by law with no exceptions.
It concluded that in this regard, the public is encouraged to exercise patience while the Commission does a thorough review and analysis of the Reports and thereafter commence taking action as may be expedient.
In another development, reports from ACC confirmed that the anti-graft institution has invited several senior and intermediate staff of NACOVERC with regard three issues in the COVID-19 audit report which are : 47 missing laptops, a missing Generator donated by the Chinese, the Procurement issues around the purchase of SUVs.
It is expected that several arrests and detentions will continue heading toward Christmas.
