By Bernard Abass Kargbo - Public Education Officer, ACC

The leaderships of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) on Monday, 28th July 2025 started a series of training workshops aimed at mainstreaming integrity in the operations of law enforcement agencies. The event took place at the Association of Police Wives Conference Room, Kingtom Police Barracks. The event brought together police officers, law enforcement agencies, transport sector stakeholders, and representatives from the Institute of Governance Reform (IGR).

The initiative aims to strengthen ethical conduct, promote anti-corruption practices, and foster collaborative governance. It comes in response to the recent Afrobarometer Report, which states that citizens perceive the police as the most corrupt.

The Commissioner of ACC Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. acknowledged the importance of the event, noting “Today is a very significant day in many ways: for years we have had conversations, we advise each other on our work because substantially, our work is actually police work. For several years, the ACC and the SLP have had a great relationship, and the leadership of the Police have been extremely supportive.” 

He also explained the correlation between the visibility and interactions between members of the public and law enforcement officers, noting that the public’s negative perception is because the “police interface with the public more than any other public institution.”

The Commissioner went on to highlight some of the challenges of law enforcement agencies, paramount amongst them is low wages, stating that “your wages and salaries are not as it should be as police officers.” Notwithstanding these challenges, Mr. Kaifala asked: “Do we leave it for you to pay yourselves in the street? Do we leave it for you to pay yourselves in the police stations? Or do we leave it for you to go against your professional ethics by blaming all these problems?” He went on to encourage the law enforcement agencies to strive for integrity and discipline.  

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sahr Yomba Senessie, stressed the importance of collaboration with the ACC to mitigate corruption risks within law enforcement. He stressed the commendable work of the ACC: “the Commissioner and the ACC are doing a great job in this country, and we need to commend them for that.” The DIG maintained that the fight against corruption is very important to the survival of the nation, as “corruption is not good for any country.”

He continued by acknowledging the importance of the training, adding that “we are very much particular about the Afrobarometer perception survey; we appreciate it as it keeps us on our toes.” He ended by assuring the ACC that all the advice and proposed solutions would be given due consideration.

The Director of Training of the SLP Assistant Inspector General of Police Alpha Ben Kellah urged participants to take the training seriously, stating: “It is our responsibility to attach the much-needed attention to this training.” He emphasized that solutions must come from within the ranks. He continued that this training should be a wake-up call for collaborative efforts to combat corruption in the Force.

The training will be replicated across the country.