UBA Operations Head Jailed 40 Years for Corruption

Freetown, Monday 19th January 2026. The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court sitting at the Main Law Courts Building in Freetown has sentenced the Head of Operations of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Fredrick Caulker, to a total of forty (40) years’ imprisonment after finding him guilty on four counts of corruption-related offences involving the misappropriation of public funds.

The judgment was delivered by Honourable Justice Aiah Simeon Allieu, a Justice of the Court of Appeal, following a full trial in which the prosecution successfully established that the convict diverted statutory tax payments meant for the National Revenue Authority (NRA).

Charges and Nature of the Offences
Fredrick Caulker was arraigned on a five-count indictment, including conspiracy to misappropriate public funds, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12 of 2008, as amended by the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Act No. 9 of 2019.
According to the particulars of the offence, the convict, a resident of No. 38A Taylor Street, Wellington, Freetown, while serving as Head of Operations at UBA, unlawfully diverted PAYE and withholding tax payments made by the Small Holder Commercialization Agri-Business Development Project (SCADeP) to the NRA on various dates.
Evidence Led by the Prosecution
In proving its case, the prosecution called eight (8) witnesses, including a banker from Commerce Mortgage Bank, who testified to the movement and redirection of the funds.
Prosecution Witness Two (PW2), a former subordinate of the convict at UBA, told the court that in November 2023, he received several SWIFT inflows from the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, which were clearly designated as tax payments payable to the NRA.
PW2 testified that he processed an inflow of Le 293,749.80, which bore the signature of the convict. However, he emphasized that the payment was not posted to the NRA’s designated account, despite that being the original intention of the transfer.
“This was not the original account into which the SWIFT money was to be paid. It was meant for the NRA account,” PW2 told the court.
He further recounted processing another payment of Le 169,134.29 under direct instructions from the convict. PW2 also testified that a much larger amount of Le 1,291,623.50, which was similarly intended for the NRA, could not be paid into the rightful account after the convict claimed he had received a call alleging that the transfer was a mistake. PW2 said he was instead instructed to redirect the funds to a different account bearing the number 540 520 520 002 168.
Additionally, PW2 disclosed that he later received another inflow of Le 255,725.81, which, following similar instructions from the convict, was paid into an alternative account rather than the NRA’s account.
Court’s Findings and Sentence
In his ruling, Justice Aiah Simeon Allieu held that while the prosecution failed to establish the elements of conspiracy, it had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the accused committed the substantive offences of misappropriation of public funds.
“The prosecution could not satisfy the elements of conspiracy, and I accordingly acquit and discharge the accused on Count Five,” the judge ruled.
However, on Counts One, Two, Three, and Four, the court found Fredrick Caulker guilty as charged and sentenced him to ten (10) years’ imprisonment on each count. The court ordered that the sentences run consecutively, bringing the total custodial sentence to forty (40) years.
Restitution Order
In addition to the custodial sentence, the court ordered the convict to pay restitution in the sum of
Le 1,980,233.40 (One Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty-Three Leones and Forty Cents) into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Justice Allieu further directed that the full amount be paid within ninety (90) days from the date of the judgment.
Public Information
For further details on this and other judicial proceedings, members of the public are encouraged to contact the Judiciary Communications and Public Affairs Unit, visit www.judiciary.gov.sl, or follow the Judiciary of Sierra Leone on its official social media platforms.