By Joseph S. Conteh
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Sierra Leone has uncovered a widespread corruption scheme involving staff of the Freetown City Council (FCC). The ACC, in a press conference held on March 6th, 2025, provided detailed insights into the ongoing investigation.
According to Augustine Foday Ngobie, the Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, the media and the Commission have joined forces to fight corruption and keep the public informed. We call the press to present what we have so that you, as representatives of the wider public, can inform them rather than allowing different perceptions about the Commission’s actions, he said.
Francis Ben Kaifala, the ACC Commissioner, further elaborated on the issue. He stated that the FCC had already made an update on the matter, and the ACC was now adding its voice to complement the council’s findings. We are doing this investigation with the leadership of the City Council, he added.
The investigation revealed that the revenue streams of the FCC were under attack, as some staff members were diverting funds meant for the council. They would change the name of the cheques from Freetown City Council to Freetown City Football Club, which had an account that was controlled by three individuals: Sima Conteh, Duba Navo, and William Martin.
The ACC discovered that over 4 billion old leones had been funneled into this account, with an estimated 3 billion being the result of corrupt activities. Thirteen FCC staff members and two employees from the Commerce Bank have been arrested in connection with the scandal.
The mayor of Freetown, who is assisting the ACC with the investigation, has expressed her commitment to rooting out corruption within the city council. This is a real disaster for our country, as the people’s selfishness and unwillingness to change have been the main obstacles to progress, said Commissioner Kaifala.
The ACC’s swift action and the FCC’s cooperation in this case highlight the ongoing efforts to combat corruption and restore public trust in the government institutions of Sierra Leone.
