By Isha S. Mansaray.

ACC boss fires back at parliament: Describes the PAC chairman’s approach as ‘parliamentary gangsterism’. 

In a radio interview, the Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala, responded to parliament’s decision to ban the Anti Corruption Commission from interfering with the 2023 Audit Report.

The Public Accounts Committee  is a committee of parliamentary members responsible for reviewing the financial statements of government ministries, departments and agencies and  examining issues relating to the management of financial funds.

The chairman, being the head of the committee, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh has been very vocal on the ban of the Anti Corruption Commission from handling matters relating to the 2023 Audit Report. In regards, Commissioner Kaifala describes Hon. Tawa Conteh’s approach as “a display of parliamentary gangsterism”

On January 10, 2025 , the parliament of Sierra Leone, an arm of government responsible for making laws, conveyed a press release cautioning the Anti-Corruption Commission to stop interfering with the 2023 Audit Report.

In order demystify their decision, the parliament also warns MDAs from collaborating with the ACC in matters relating to the audit reports.

The nation’s legislative body states that the audit report is a property of the parliament, and they are constitutionally responsible for handling matters relating to the report.

However, this did not sit well with the ACC commissioner, who asserts that parliament is wrong to say that the ACC has no role to play in the report.

Kaifala argues that it is the mandate of the Anti-Corruption Commission to fight corruption, and the law did not exempt such mandate from the audit report.

The commissioner sealed his claim by stating that the ACC is an independent institution established by an act of parliament with the sole aim of fighting corruption in country. He further retreats his commitment to fighting corruption and collaborating with parliament through the fight.