2. Page 2 T he Deputy Commissioner of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC), Augustine Foday Ngobie, on Wednesday 6th November, 2024, played host to Daivd Robinson, Senior Counsel of the Legal Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The visit, according to Mr. Robinson is a precursor to the meeting in May 2025 and aims to assess the state of governance and corruption vulnerabilities within Government institutions, identify areas for improvement, and provide tailored recommendations to enhance governance framework. He furthered that in February 2025, Questionnaires will be sent to the Commission to fill which will require the ACC to indicate its needs and its challenges, which will be discussed with Government for a much more effective ACC. The IMF personnel stressed that the Commission will be at liberty to provide as much information as needed, though relevant ones, in the event the Questionnaires are not exhaustive. He commended the Commission for its great strides, noting that these achievements are not without challenges. Relevant to note is that this is a Governance Diagnostic Scoping Mission from the IMF as part of the Government of Sierra Leone ’ s assessment for a new Extended Credit Facility (ECF) program. Deputy Commissioner, Augustine Foday Ngobie (M), Daivd Robinson, Senior Counsel of Legal Department, IMF (L) Direc- tor of Operations, Emmanuel K. Amara Esq (Far – L) Patrick Sandi, Director Public Education and Outreach ( R ) Director of Prevention, Rashid B. Turay (Far – R) On behalf of the Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala Esq., the Deputy Commissioner heartily welcomed Mr. Robinson and assured him of the Commission ’ s undoubted cooperation and support at all times to any organization, especially the IMF. Mr. Ngobie highlighted the support received by the Commission from the Government of Sierra Leone, specific to the construction and furnishing of the Integrity House, which is the Commission ’ s Headquarters Office. He lauded the Presidential Will enjoyed by the Commission and its operational independence, which account for the unprecedented successes as recorded by National and International Corruption Perception Indexes and Survey Reports. Mr. Ngobie furthered that in as much as the Commission would accommodate and welcome capacity building programs and support, the most felt need is its fleet, as currently the Commission has an aging fleet which one could not write home about. He underscored that in spite of the challenge of vehicles, significant successes are recorded. Imagine if it were a situation where very good vehicles were available; it would be superb. He, however, assured IMF that the ACC was very ready to provide any support needed in the bid to advance its works and effectively control corruption and reduce its occurrences to the barest minimum. Meaningful contributions were made by the Directors of Prevention, Operations and Public Education and Outreach, of the ACC, Rashid B. Turay, Emmanuel K. Amara Esq., and Patrick Sandi, respectively. There were exchanges of pleasantries, which marked the end of the dialogue.

3. Page 3 The Anti - Corruption Commission has filed an indictment against NOAH ALPHA FORNAH, Director of Lands, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning in the North - East Regional City of Makeni and a resident of Karim Drive in Makeni, on Four (4) Counts of corruption offences. A press release from the Commission states that NOAH ALPHA FORNAH is indicted on One (1) Count each of Soliciting an Advantage, contrary to Section 28(2)(a), Accepting an Advantage, contrary to Section 28(2)(a), Abuse of Office, contrary to Section 42 (1), and Abuse of Position, contrary to Section 43, of the Anti - Corruption Act No. 12 of 2008 as amended by the Anti - Corruption (Amendment) Act No. 9 of 2019. According to the particulars of offence, NOAH ALPHA FORNAH, being the Director of Lands at the Ministry of Lands , Housing and Country Planning in the North - East Regional City of Makeni, on diverse dates between the 4 th April and 7 th October, 2024, solicited the sum of Twenty Thousand Leones (Le20,000) for the signing of a survey plan for land bought by one Abu Bakarr Sillah, through his representative Alfred Kamara. NOAH ALPHA FORNAH later received the sum of Ten Thousand Leones (Le10,000) as an ad- vantage from Alfred Kamara. NOAH ALPHA FORNAH has already made his first appearance in Freetown Contd. on Pg 4 The Regional Manager of the Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) in the North - West Region, Madam Fatu Florence Kamara, has called on the residents of Marampa Chiefdom in Lunsar to protect public funds and reject any form of corruption. Her message was delivered during a community sensitization meeting held on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the Magistrate's Court Building in Lunsar, that attracted local authorities and residents. Explaining the purpose of the engagement, ACC Public Education Officer, Mohamed Thullah stated that the initiative aimed to educate and raise awareness about Displaying of Information, Ed- ucation and Communication (IEC) Materials Manager, Fatu Florence Kamara addressing resi- dents of Marampa Chiefdom corruption and its detrimental effects on Sierra Leone. He noted that corruption has permeated various levels of society, creating hardships for citizens nationwide. In her address, Madam Kamara described corruption as a betrayal of public trust and a serious disservice to the people of Sierra Leone. She urged local authorities and public officers to align their actions with the needs and interests of the communities they serve. Highlighting the issue of public funds, she clarified that monies provided by mining companies are public funds, allocated to communities as part of Community Development Agreements mandated by the Mines and Minerals Act to support local initiatives. “ These funds should not be personalized or used for private gains, ” she emphasized.

4. Page 4 Contd. from Pg 1 B y : A l e x A . B a h , P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s A s s i s t a n t , A C C The Regional Manager underscored the importance of reporting any corruption or suspected instances of corruption to the ACC, warning that being silent may be interpreted as condoning corruption. She urged local authorities to uphold transparency and accountability in managing funds held in trust f or the people of Lunsar and Marampa Chiefdom. She added that the Community Development Fund should be administered by the Co mmu- nity Development Committee judiciously, with a clear focus on community - driven projects. Madam Kamara also discussed the forms of corruption often found in rural communities, citing specific issues within local courts, health centers, schools, and other sectors. Public Education Officer, ACC, Mohamed Thullah further explained the community ’ s role in combating corruption, outlined reporting channels at the ACC, and shared information on the Commission ’ s witness and informant protection mechanisms. Earlier, in his welcome statement, Mohamed P. Kanu, representing the Chiefdom Speaker, lav ished praises on the ACC ’ s robust posture and commended its efforts in fighting corruption. The engagement concluded with the distribution of information and educational materials and an interactive question - and - answer session . Contd from Pg 3 potential reprisals, provided your work aligns with the established guidelines, ” Mr. Ngobie assured. Ambassador Ernest Ndomahina, Commissioner of the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), expressed his commendation for the ACC's strategic approach. He emphasized the importance of extending the GPW program ’ s benefits to regions beyond Freetown, thereby creating valuable job opportunities for youth and women across the country. “ The Stakeholders Engagement serves as a crucial reminder of the principles guiding seamless project imple- mentation, ” he remarked. Additional statements were delivered by various stakeholders, including His Worship, the Mayor of Ke nema City, Thomas Baio, Mohamed Robinson, Mayor, Bonthe Municipal Council, and Hawa Campbell, Deputy Mayor of B o City Council, all of whom reiterated their commitment to supporting the PSSNYE project. The primary objective of this engagement is to introduce the GPW sub - component of the PSSNYE project, gather feedback on temporary job creation, and discuss the initiative ’ s role in fostering inclusive and sustainable community led solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation challenges in urban areas.

1. 4th— 8 th November 2024 Issue 2 Volume 42 INTEGRITY HOUSE, TOWER HILL FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE EDITORIAL TEAM EDITOR - IN - CHIEF Abubakarr Turay EDITORS Sylvanus Blake Alex A. Bah LAYOUT & GRAPHICS Philippa M. Davies EDITORIAL ADVISERS Augustine Foday Ngobie Patrick Sandi I n a Regional Stake- holders Engagement held at the Kenema District Council, marking the conclusion of a two - day training workshop from the 30th - 31st October, 2024, on Green Public Works (GPW which is a sub - component of Compo- nent 2B involving cleaning and tree planting, under the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employ- ment (PSSNYE) project, the Anti - Corruption Com- mission (ACC) reiterated its commitment to rigorous monitoring and oversight. This effort is aimed at ensuring that resources allocated to this project reach the citizens as intended. In his address, Deputy Commissioner of ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie underscored the importance of hands - on supervision, stressing his dedication to travelling to remote areas to validate that project implementation aligns with the intended goals. “ We are the gatekeepers and moral guarantors, ” he affirmed. He further emphasized that the Commission relies on direct supervision rather than secondary sources like photographs or reports to verify progress. In continuation, Mr. Ngobie disclosed that recent monitoring efforts have led to the arrest and ongoing investigation of individuals involved in irregularities within one of the project components. "The Commission will remain vigilant and uncompromising in its commitment to holding offenders accountable, regardless of the amount Deputy Commissioner, ACC, Augustine Foday Ngobie making a statement Group photo at the end of the meeting Contd on Pg 4 B y : A l e x A . B a h , P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s A s s i s t a n t , A C C involved, ” he averred. He encouraged stakeholders to communi- cate to their communities the Government ’ s commitment to protecting these resources, stressing that His Excellency the President Brigadier (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio has mandated stringent measures to safeguard the project ’ s integrity and global partners including the World Bank, to bank on the ACC ’ s robust oversight, as the Commission remains reso- lute in regard this role. “ We are here to support you in upholding the project ’ s requirements and assure you of our protection against