As part of the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) support to the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE), and other partner stakeholders in the work to verify the credentials of public officers in Sierra Leone, the Commission wishes to inform the general public that it has concluded investigation on the credentials and qualification of the Senior Commissioner, Domestic Tax Department, at the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Ibrahim Sorie Kamara, following allegations that he acquired a fake Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree. It is further alleged that Ibrahim Sorie Kamara used the said fake PhD degree to gain promotion at the NRA.
The ACC conducted a thorough investigation into the matter and various officials of the NRA, including the Board Secretary, the Director of Human Resource and Ibrahim Sorie Kamara himself, were interviewed in the process. The investigation confirms the following:
i. That Ibrahim Sorie Kamara had attained a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Accounting in 2001, Affiliate Certificate from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA), and a Master of Philosophy in Taxation. In 2019, he was awarded a Honorary degree in Taxation jointly awarded by the London Graduate School and the Commonwealth University Business, Arts Technology, both institutions being unaccredited and therefore not competent to award PhD, having paid a total sum of Five Thousand, Five Hundred United States Dollars (USD$ 5,500). The said payment was not made by the NRA, but out of the personal funds of Ibrahim Sorie Kamara.
ii. That the promotion of Ibrahim Sorie Kamara from Commissioner to Senior Commissioner of the Domestic Tax Department was squarely based on competence and experience having worked at the NRA for over 18 years and not contingent on the unaccredited PhD which, he was awarded while already in post. The decision was taken by the Board and Management of NRA; and other members of staff also benefited from the said decision.
iii. That the element of an “advantage” being conferred on him within the meaning of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 as Amended in 2019 has not been met, and therefore the ACC has closed the investigation and will proceed with others.
iv. He has been advised not to use the questionable PhD for any advantage in the public service.
The ACC wishes to further inform the public that it is also investigating other individuals and institutions whose staff are alleged to have ‘fake degrees/certificates’ and had used same to confer an advantage on themselves and will continue to update the public accordingly as those investigations are concluded. For further enquiries on this and other ACC matters, please contact Sylvanus Blake, Assistant Public Relations Officer on +232-78-832131 or via email info@anticorruption.gov.sl.
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PATRICK SANDI
DIRECTOR, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
