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ACC Boss Gives Koroma’s Govt Pass Mark

Author: Sorie Sudan Sesay - UK

Anti Corruption Boss has endorsed President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma’s government in the fight against corruption.

At the Consultative Group meeting at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre in London, Abdul Tejan Cole said his commission now works as an independent body without the interference of the government.

He therefore called on foreign investors and donor agencies to have confidence in the doing business with Sierra Leone.

Giving a run-down to his successes over this period, the ACC Boss said there has been lots of progress in the fight against corruption since he took over office two years ago more than any other time.

“We can now go ahead and prosecute cases without waiting for the approval of the Attorney General as it used to be the case in the past,” Cole said amidst thunderous applause.

He said a new Anti Corruption Commission Act has now been established with 29 new offenses been added to the previous one.

It was obvious that donor agencies and investors were looking forward to the ACC boss to confirm or disapprove the government claims over use of donor funds in Sierra Leone, but Cole said there is no cause for alarm because there are now offenses for misappropriation of donor funds as well as the impedement of foreign investment into Sierra Leone.

He said the rate and quality of prosecution has increased from four to fifteen cases per year since he took over office.

“There are no sacred cows – no big fishes now,” the Commissioner said adding that the rate of reporting corruption cases had increased in recent times with new measures now being put in place as a result of effective public campaigns.

The ACC boss said the commission now has six new hotlines where individuals can report corruption cases and a website where anonymous reporting can be made with a ten percent reward for people providing information on corruption.

“So you see, it not only pays to be nationalistic but you get a ten percent reward as well,” the ACC Boss said.

On the Declaration of Assets, the ACC Boss said 17,000 public officials have declared their assets including the President since the Act was introduced, but warned: “the road is still long, but we are moving forward,” Cole said.

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