Regardless of the huge gains made by the SLPP led Government, headed by President Julius Maada Bio, in combating graft, through the indefatigable strides of the Anti Corruption Commission under the leadership of the Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala, lamentably though, certain highly placed public officials still continue to devise clever means of siphoning public funds into personal confers out of greed and personal aggrandizement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation was one public entity in 2019 where an amount totaling Le470, 125,209.00 was withdrawn from the Ministry’s Imprest Account and paid as advance DSA to staff of the Ministry while awaiting the processing of the payments by the Accountant General.
As best practice would warrant, it was expected that the amount was to be refunded into the Ministry’s Imprest Account once the payments were received from the Accountant General.
Unfortunately and rather shamefully, there was no evidence of repayment into the Ministry’s Imprest Account despite evidence suggesting that the Accountant General had made payments.
Though it was expected that the officers concerned should immediately pay back the loan into the Ministry’s Imprest Account and submit evidence of payment for audit inspection, regrettably, that was not done.
When questions were raised bordering on why a refund was not made, the Ministry’s response was that the Director of Banking at the Bank of Sierra Leone was informed to establish whether the concerned cheques in the various amounts were actually cashed at the Bank of Sierra Leone and by whom, thereafter, a repayment plan would be made.
Disgracefully, there was no evidence that the Director of Banking was informed and no repayment plan was submitted up to date.
Commenting on the situation, a prominent Social Commentator pointed out that the act was not only criminally masterminded but shows how public officials are corrupt depriving the State of much needed funds with nothing coming out of it, buff case!
