Politico Staff Writer
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has on 11th October presented the institution’s 2020 Annual Report to President Julius Maada Bio.
Among the successes indicated in the report was the country’s score on the corruption index of the Millennium Challenge Corporation scorecard which indicates that Sierra Leone scored 81% in the ‘Control of Corruption’. According to a statement issued by the institution, the country has recorded a drop in corruption which indicates a high standard for the country.
Sierra Leone is ranked 117 out of 180 countries in the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index. The release also stated that “Afro Barometer recorded a drop in corruption prevalence from 70% to 40%”.
The 2020 Annual Report which was presented to the President focuses on the work and activities of the commission in the year 2020, paying more attention on areas like public education and prevention , prevention, assets declaration, national strategy implementation, intelligence, investigation and prosecution.
The commission noted that in 2020 alone, it retrieved “Eight Billion Leones from corrupt persons and secured over 90% conviction rate from cases investigated and charged to court”. The release added that the commission conducted massive systems and processes reviews of public offices and also engaged in public education and outreach activities in the country.
The ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala said that the work of the commission vividly demonstrates progress at all levels in the campaign against corruption. Kaifala thanked the President saying “Your Excellency, even with COVID-19, we continue to do our work for the people of Sierra Leone. We thank you for your support and we are appreciative of it”.
President Julius Maada Bio promised that his government will continue to seriously fight corruption. “We must punish the corrupt and it is a fight we must fight, and it is a fight we must win, if we are to develop our country.”
President Bio expressed appreciation to the commission and his team and also encouraged them to work harder in a bid to fight corruption in Sierra Leone.
Copyright © Politico Online 13/10/21
