By Hawanatu Omotayo Kamara, Eastern Regional Director, ACC
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Sierra Leone came into being through the Anti-Corruption Act of 2000 following the Lome Peace Accord on 7th July 1999, as part of the post-war governance reforms aimed at rebuilding trust and reducing systemic corruption. Rising from the shadows of conflicts and seeking to rebuild a nation grounded in justice and integrity, Sierra Leone took a bold and historic step not only to create an institution but a national commitment and promise that corruption would no longer be tolerated as a way of life.
In its early years, due to the delay and low conviction cases, the ACC was widely regarded as a toothless bull dog that is ineffective, weak and lacked the legitimate force to prosecute cases independently. By then, it had to file for prosecution to the Law Officers Department headed by the Attorney General’s Office.
Notwithstanding the limitations, the foundation laid during those periods such as public sensitization and institutional systems reviews set the stage for future growth. A major milestone came with the enactment of the 2008 Act which granted the Commission direct prosecutorial powers, increasing the number of corruption offences and introducing Asset Declaration for public officials. These reforms have significantly improved the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts by reducing political holdups.
Upon his appointment in 2018 as Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq pushed for the 2019 Amendment Act which further fortified the ACC’s mandate by introducing stiffer penalties, such as recovering of stolen assets through a non-conviction-based approach, amplifying the asset declaration requirements and establishment of a dedicated special Anti-Corruption Division within the High Court to expedite trials. These restructurings have improved on the independence and credibility of the Commission and have empowered it to enlarge its scope beyond investigations to include a broader preventive and enforcement- focused approach.
In its 25 years’ experience, the ACC has recovered millions of Leones through its Non-conviction Asset Recovery model without resorting to lengthy court processes. These recovered funds have been returned to the people of Sierra Leone reinforcing trust in public in the Commission. The ACC can boast of a conviction rate of over 90% for cases charged to court. It has also prosecuted high profile individuals in the past and current government.
Beyond prosecuting wrongdoers, the Commission also focuses on corruption prevention through it systems reviews to empower Ministries, Department and Agencies in identifying corruption risk areas within their operations, and to close the loopholes for the improvement of internal controls. The creation of Integrity Management Committees across government institutions has helped embed a culture of transparency and accountability in public offices.
Corruption cannot be fought in silence; it requires the participation of every citizen. Over the years, the ACC has strengthened public education crusades in schools and universities through its Meet-the-school and university campaigns, Customised Meetings aimed at reminding public officers to imbibe transparency and accountability during the discharge of duties, and community meetings which seek to solicit support in the fight against corruption.
It has also established integrity clubs in schools and Accountability Now clubs in universities, influencing a new generation of Sierra Leoneans committed to honesty and national service. Through its radio discussion programmes, media campaigns, the Commission has succeeded in taking the anti-corruption messages to every corner of the country and has partnered and signed Memorandum of Understanding with several organizations in fighting this menace.
Over the years, the country has steadily scored highly in the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Scorecard specifically in the control of corruption indicator, which the country has passed several times with outstanding scores. Recently, the country recorded its 8th consecutive success in the MCC score, scoring 71% in controlling corruption. The country also moved up notably in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index. This showcases the Commission’s steadfast commitments to transparency and accountability and has positioned itself as a model for other anti-graft agencies in West Africa and beyond.
In conclusion, the greater achievement of all is the change in public attitude towards the fight against corruption. Over time, ACC has recorded increased reports on corruption which portrays citizens’ wiliness to support accountability and transparency. Public officers now operate with greater caution and awareness about integrity standards.
As we celebrate 25 years of existence, we need to acknowledge that the fight against this menace is far from over. But what we have achieved gives us hope that with citizens’ participation, rigid laws and strong leadership, corruption can be reduced, controlled and ultimately defeated. Corruption has no place in our future because the once toothless bull dog that did not bite is now a force to reckon with.
