By Sorie Ibrhaim Fofana
A statement from the Office of the Press Secretary at State House says President Julius Madaa Bio has directed the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice to “initiate” the necessary procedure for the removal of the suspended Auditor-General, Mrs. Lara Taylor –Pearce, pursuant to section 137(7)(b) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone.
“Following the perusal of the report, the general public is hereby informed that His Excellency the President has accepted all the recommendations of the Report, among which is the removal of the suspended Auditor-General and her Deputy Auditor-General,” the release reads in part, noting that the president has received the Report from the Chairman of the Tribunal that was set up to investigate the suspended Auditor-General and her Deputy Tamba Momoh.
According to the press release, the president has also directed the Audit Service Board to pursue action for the removal of the suspended Deputy Auditor-General.
In his statement during a government’s weekly press conference on 9th July this year, the Director of Public Prosecution, Osman Kanu explained how the Tribunal was set up to look into the alleged misconduct of Taylor-Pearce and Momoh.
Kanu emphasised the mandate of the Tribunal was to consider the conduct of the Auditor-General and her Deputy and their service performance. The misconduct he noted was a breach of confidentiality on the part of the Auditor-General.
He noted that the Tribunal took so long due to objections and files that were made to the Supreme Court during the process by the lawyers of Taylor-Pearce.
Kanu pointed out how a decision for the removal of Taylor-Pearce and Momoh was made by members of the Tribunal Committee.
Kanu maintained that the Attorney-General will submit the tribunal’s report before Parliament which according to him will make the final decision as to whether the Auditor-General should be removed or not. A two-thirds majority he added will be needed in Parliament to make a decision over Taylor-Pearce.He however could not state the timeline the report will be submitted to parliament.
Speaking also at the press conference, the President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association, Tuma Adama Gento Kamara called for a speedy decision be made by parliament for the suspended Auditor-General to know her fate after being suspended for over two years, saying their role as an association is to safeguard human rights.
Kamara however noted that she has not seen the tribunal’s report.
Speaking to Politico in an interview, the lawyer for the suspended Auditor-General Rowland Wright refused to comment on the tribunal’s report, saying he doesn’t know the content of the report.
On 11 November 2021, Lara Taylor-Pearce and Momoh were suspended from office.
A special tribunal was set up to investigate the two for what the government believes to be misconduct on her part. Justice Nyawa Finda Jones served as Chairperson of the tribunal.
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