Financial Irregularities in Sierra Leone’s Judiciary
By Benjamin S Conteh
The Judiciary of Sierra Leone has come under intense scrutiny after revelations that revenue collected from the Pademba Road, Ross Road, and Waterloo Magistrate Courts was not paid into the designated government account. Instead, the funds remain unaccounted for, raising serious concerns of corruption and mismanagement.
This revelation came to light during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) hearing at the New Administrative Building in Parliament, chaired by Deputy Chairman Hon. P.C. Desmond Mahayei Kargobai. The committee was probing the financial activities of the judiciary based on findings from the 2023 Auditor General’s Report.
In response to the query, a representative from the Judiciary attempted to shift blame to the National Revenue Authority (NRA), claiming that the NRA had collected the money via mobile money platforms. He admitted that although the NRA had indeed received the funds, the status of the money remained unclear at the time of the audit, as it was not deposited into the appropriate account.
The Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) had earlier recommended that the Judiciary set up a committee to trace the funds. However, when questioned, the representative who refused to disclose his name—failed to confirm whether such a committee was ever established. This prompted committee members to condemn the Judiciary’s negligence and lack of accountability.
Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, a PAC member, criticized the Judiciary for disregarding the auditors’ recommendations. He emphasized that if the committee had been set up, the NRA could have been held directly accountable and compelled to refund the money. Instead, the Judiciary’s inaction suggested collusion and possible connivance to siphon state resources.
Initially, the Judiciary’s representative claimed no steps had been taken to recover the missing funds. However, under pressure, he later stated that the Master and Registrar had engaged the NRA verbally, with promises to follow up with a formal letter.
Further compounding the matter, the report revealed that revenue from the Waterloo Magistrate Court had also been deposited into the wrong account.
When pressed, the representative argued that most of the issues highlighted in the 2023 audit were “inherited” as he only assumed office in July 2024. The committee, however, dismissed these excuses as inadequate.
Despite the tensions, the Judiciary’s representative assured PAC members that they are working to resolve the financial irregularities and would engage the NRA formally to account for the missing revenue.
