4. Page 4 Contd from Pg 1 offence in the Anti - Corruption Act 2008 as amended in 2019. Public Relations Officer (PRO), Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues (SLUDI), Edwin Biriwa, in his welcome address, commended the ACC and National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA) for their invaluable support, highlighting the significant improvements the project has brought into the lives of Sierra Le- oneans, particularly, that of his Constituency of persons living with diabilities. He pledged the unwavering commitment of his membership to report any incidents of corruption as they have been empowered with these anti - corruption messages, noting that, earlier, they had fears, thinking that, when they repor t on issues in the project, the World Bank and UNICEF will withhold their funds. In her opening statement as Chairman of the engagement, District Monitor - ACC Bo, Kadiatu M. Conteh, encouraged participants to listen carefully, as this opportunity is difficult to come by. She further said the PSSNYE Project is funded by the World Bank, UNICEF, and the GoSL, wit h NaCSA as the lead implementing institution, in collaboration with Statistics Sierra Leone, Ministry of Youth Affairs, the National Youth Commission (NAYCOM), and the ACC spearheading the Grievance Redress Machanism (GRM) component. Madam Conteh urged them to support and own the project as they too have their core responsibili- ties in ensuring a successful implementation of the project. Questions and answers session climaxed the meeting. It could be recalled that these sensitization and outreach meetings on the PSSNYE proje ct had commenced on Tuesday 11 th June, 2024 in Moyamba, through to Bonthe, Pujehun and ending in Bo on Friday 14 th June, 2024.

3. Page 3 Head of the Outreach Unit, ACC, Al - Hassan Sesay admonishing the participants at the meeting. Communications Officer ACC, Hawa Deen Conteh making her statement The Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday 13th June, 2024, held an Outreach Meeting with the Funkia Community in the Western Area Rural District. The meeting which attracted Stakeholders and residents of the community, took place at the Community Center in Funkia. Speaking at the engagement, Head of Outreach Unit, ACC, Al - Hassan Sesay, informed participants that the Commission’s fight against corruption is a war that can only be fought and won with the support of all and sundry, underscoring, it accounts for the Commission’s intervention into communities to solicit theit support, and encourage them to resist, reject, and report all forms of corruption. Mr. Sesay highlighted the 8.6 Million (New) Leones recovered recently from corrupt individuals, stressing that such monies were meant to address the needs of Sierra Leoneans but were embezzled by a few individuals. He also informed the community about the status of some high - profile cases investigated by the ACC and the outcomes of some that have been concluded. Senior Communications Officer, ACC Alhaji A. K Bangura dilated on some of the damaging effects of corruption, urging residents to take proactive steps in efforts to combat the scourge. ACC’s Communications Officer, Hawa Deen Conteh in her statement said that the Commission has been using different channels such as Radio and Television to enlighten the public on its work, adding that community outreach is one such critically important platform that affords the Commission the avenue to interact with people. “This does not only help us in getting necessary feedback but also provides the forum for us to know how corruption issues are negatively affecting our communities,” she noted. Martina George, Communications Officer, ACC, provided Africell toll - free lines of 8515, 077 - 985 - 985 and 077 - 986 - 986, which she charged the people to use to report any suspected instances of corruption, assuring them of confidentiality and protection against any reprisal whatsoever, which might ensue. She further urged the community people to enquire from their local authorities about any developmental projects that come to their community and monitor their implementations. Earlier, the Tribal Chief, Pa Alimamy Thula Bangura whilst welcoming the ACC, stated that the engagement was timely and that it was the first time the Commission had ever visited their community to hold such a meeting under the leadership of Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala Esq.. He noted his delight adding that the meeting will help them learn about the work of the Commission and how they can support its work for the development of their community and the country as a whole.

2. Page 2 T he Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) says it has concluded investigations into an allegation that the Clerk of Parliament, Hon. Umar Paran Tarawally, had improperly employed his wife, Mrs. Abibatu Parana Tarawal ly, and that the wife received salaries and other allowances from September 2021 to March 2023 without actual work or being entitled to it. The public may recall that sometime in January 2024, the Commission published a Press Release in whi ch it indicated that it had commenced investigation into the said allegation. According to a press release from the Commission, it confirmed that Mrs. Tarawally benefited from salaries and other allowances in the capacity as Human Resource (HR) Officer from September, 2021 to March, 2023 (19 months). The Commission also confirmed that Mrs. Tarawally’s net salary per month for the said period was Seven Thousand, Six Hundred and Seventy - six Leones (Le7,676) . Mrs. Tarawally, according to the release, admitted to have been employed as a replacement staff sometime in November, 2021, worked for only a few days and fell ill, which warranted her to travel out of the country for medical attention. The Commission also confirmed that Mrs Tarawally received salaries and allowances for a period of 19 months in total, amounting to One Hundred and Fifty Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty - two Leones (Le156,422), an amount that has been recovered from her and paid into the ACC Recovery Account. Concerning Hon. Umar P. Tarawally, the Commission says the investigation established th at, while he denies playing any role in his wife’s employment, it is implausible that he was not aware of same. H e therefore failed in his supervisory responsibilities as Clerk albeit that the matter did not meet the prosecut orial threshold for an indictment to be preferred. Hon. Umar Paran Tarawally has therefore been referred to the President fo r appropriate administrative action. In light of the above, the Commission says that Mrs. Abibatu Parana Tarawally having refunded t he full amount that was paid to her during the period in question and having consented to a settlement of the matter pursuant to Section 89 (1) (b)(i)(ii) of the Anti - Corruption Act 2008 (as amended in 2019) must also pay an interest of 10% on the said sum amounting to Fifteen Thousand Six Hundred and Forty - two Leones (Le15,642). She is therefore precluded from holding public office for a period not less than five years, as provided for in Section 89 Subsection (1)(b)(i)(ii) of the Anti - Corruption Act of 2008 (as amended in 2019). In addition, the Corruption Prevention Department of the ACC will work with the Office of the Clerk of Parliament and the Human Resources Department of the Parliamentary Service Commission to help strengthen and establish efficient systems and processes that will prevent such administrative anomalies from recurring.

1. 10th—14th June 2024 Issue 2 Volume 21 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 T he Anti - Corruption Commission (ACC) through its Public Education and External Outreach Department, with funding from the World Bank, UNICEF, and the Government of Sierra Leo- ne has on Friday, 14th June, 2024, concluded an intensive, robust and well targeted Town Hall sensitization engagements in the Southern Region. The awareness raising meeting on the Productive Social Safety Net and Youth Employment (PSSNYE) project was held in Bo, at the Kakua Court Barry, Ngalu Road, and attracted key stakeholders and beneficiaries - largely persons living with disabilities, In his explicit submission, the Director, Public Educa- tion and External Outreach Department, ACC, Patrick Sandi, underscored that the Commission’s interventions into the project have resulted in high donor trust and confidence. He further disclosed that the project is not without challenges, but the beauty about all of these is there is an institution - the ACC, cut out to deal with and address these problems and would continue to do that. Mr. Sandi also stated that, the project has been expanded, unlike the Social Safety Net (SSN), to include youths of all categories in areas for public works, skills development, and enterpreneurship. He appealed to listeners to make good capital of the opportunity as it is meant to enhance their livelihoods and ameliorate their difficult, challenging and poor situations. Earlier, explaining the purpose of the meeting, Dolly A. Issa, Communications Officer, ACC, said, the engagement was to sensitize and empower beneficiaries in regard the different components of the project but more importantly, to educate them of their dos and don’ts and where and how to seek redress when confronted with any dissatisfactions or misunderstandings. She assured her audience of the Com- mission’s resolve to ensuring that the Contd on Pg 4 Director, PEOD, Patrick Sandi explaing the PSSNYE project to beneficiaries The Audience at the Engagement project is free of corruption and nepotism. Dilating on the many reporting channels operational at the ACC, Shiaka Kamara, Public Ed- ucation Officer, ACC, stat- ed that individuals report in order to get their issues/complaints resolved. As such, he told them to be firm and resolute in reporting instances of alleged corruption and call the toll free lines, 8515, 077 - 985 - 985 or 077 - 986 - 986 - on Africell at the moment. Or to report grievances through the District and Community monitors. He however, cautioned his audience not to make malicious and false reports as these are frowned at by the ACC and also constitute an