On 23rd October 2025, the Public Education and Outreach Unit of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s Regional Office in Kono held a successful community engagement with stakeholders, including women’s representatives, religious and youth leaders in Njagbwema in Fiama Chiefdom, Kono district.
The session, which aimed at soliciting the support of the community in the fight against corruption, is part of the Commission’s mandate to educate the public on the evils of corruption and the benefits of a corruption-free country. It also provided an opportunity for an open dialogue between the community members and the Commission on corruption and strategies to curb it.
Addressing the gathering, ACC Senior Public Education Officer, Sam P. Gogra, referred to corruption as a wrong doing with devastating effects on every Sierra Leonean, especially the poor. He added that dealing with such evil demands concerted efforts of all citizens to support the Commission in its unwavering determination to fight the menace to a successful end.
Gogra informed the gathering that most rural communities continue to suffer in abject poverty, because resources intended for development and other essential services are embezzled. He also underlined some corruption offences widespread in schools, hospitals, and the security sector. According to the officer, payment for assignments and report cards, surreptitious use of school fees subsidies, and inflation of school charges are rife in rural schools. He further mentioned that abuse of the Free Health Care program and payment for bail are also common in rural communities.
He therefore reminded the audience that the acts mentioned above are corruption offences that attract a fine of not less than NLe 50,000 or a jail term of five years upon conviction under the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 as amended in 2019. He therefore encouraged the stakeholders and other community participants to be vigilant in monitoring the implementation of community projects, identify every corrupt act, and demand accountability from service providers.
In her contribution, Public Education Officer, Patricia J. Sannoh, mentioned that corruption was the major cause of the civil war that left a trail of devastation and destruction on every facet of society, including rural communities in the country.
She stated that the ACC was therefore established in 2000 by an Act of Parliament to prevent, investigate, and prosecute corruption. So far, she stressed, the fight against corruption has resulted in unprecedented cash recovery of billions of Leones including other physical property under the astute leadership of the People’s Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala.
Madam Patricia informed the attendees about the recent indictments of Christian Benjamin Karjue and Ibrahim Janneh both of whom are attached to the Koidu Government Hospital. She also mentioned the indictment of Allieu James Kanneh, Chief Foday Thollie, and Hudy Kondeh, all of Ngo Town in the Nimiyama Chiefdom, on one count of misappropriation of public property and one count of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence each. She therefore warned the stakeholders to always resist and report corruption to avoid coming into conflict with the law.
Honourable Paramount Chief Sahr Y.K Briwa, who earlier received the ACC Public Education team, commended the Commission for its awareness-raising approach. He stated that communities in his chiefdom have, for most of the time, not been consulted or involved in the planning and implementation of developmental projects by development partners resulting in poor service delivery in some communities. He however pledged his unwavering support to the commission’s fight against corruption.
Alongside the community engagement, the Public Education and Outreach team also held successful meetings with Songu Mbriwa Secondary School, Security Personnel at the Njagbwema Police Post/ Checkpoint, and the Community Health Centers (CHCs) in Njagbwema and Bombordu, emphasizing the Commission’s zero tolerance for corruption in their operations.
