By: Alex A Bah, Public Relations Assistant, ACC
Initiating a powerful and youthful call to arm against Corruption, Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission of Sierra Leone, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq. has called on delegates of the Youth Political Leadership School Africa (YPLSA) to confront the challenge of Fighting Corruption that has plagued the continent for far too long. He made this call whilst addressing young people at the YPLSA Summit held in Bella Cassa Hotel, Monrovia Liberia on 12th August, 2024.
The Commissioner whilst delivering his Lecture anchored on the topic; The fight against Corruption for National Development, said that Corruption remains so grave a challenge in Africa and it is validated by the fact that fighting it is often a political promise and agenda made by Political Leaders in their campaigns during elections and citizens often use this to determine their renewal of mandate.
The ACC Commissioner further gave multiple case studies of John Githongo in Kenya, Abdul Tejan Cole in Sierra Leone and Martha Chizuma in Malawi who were all Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies but were threatened out of their jobs with some punitive sanctions meted against them, because of some matters they pursued that involved perceived political friends.
He also referenced South Africa and its Jacob Zuma Corruption case that was resisted stiffly if not for its very strong Courts, Public Support and Coalition of Institutions that made the difference.
Mr. Kaifala spoke about the clear distinction between Political and Presidential Will emphasizing the importance of the support of the President. "The President has to want the fight against Corruption to happen, if he does not want it don't venture, you will not succeed", he underscored. He added that together with this Presidential Will the Political Class that constitutes the institutional machineries of Government also have to provide their support; a required normative framework with the people also ready to support the fight. He emphasized the role of the Judiciary at the very heart of this, adding that to not rely solely on the Judiciary, is what informs Sierra Leone's Non-conviction Asset-based Recovery Model to be adopted when cases do not meet the evidential threshold that will give a considerable chance of passing the beyond reasonable doubt benchmark in Criminal Proceedings.
While responding to questions, he dilated on the difference between INDEPENDENCE in regard the work of Anti-graft agencies and AUTONOMY. "The ability to take day-to-day decision without being influenced by somebody", the Commissioner described as autonomy noting that, it is what Sierra Leone enjoys in the last six years since he was appointed to lead the fight against corruption, and it is such that has provided the amplitude coupled with the radical legal reforms and other efforts that have accounted for the country to rise from miserable places in the fight against corruption in the world to a consistently top performer in every local and international indexes and assessments.
Earlier, His Excellency the Vice President of Liberia, Jeremiah Koung in his address, expressed his delight to speak to young people from across the continent, referring to them as youngsters that are eager to learn, lead and safeguard the future of good governance and democracy in the continent.
He maintained that Africa has a demographic strength of young people that needs to be better prepared to take charge of the continent's future, noting that the event is a fine platform to shape them.
Mark Toner, Ambassador of the United States of America to Liberia among other esteemed dignitaries at the event, endeared the young people to go back to their respective countries and give back as the future is in their hands.
