UBA Customers Express Concern Following 40-Year Jail Sentence of Bank’s Head of Operations

By Benjamin S Conteh

Freetown, Monday 19th January 2026. Customers of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) in Sierra Leone have expressed growing anxiety over the safety of their deposits following a landmark ruling by the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, which sentenced the bank’s Head of Operations, Fredrick Caulker, to forty (40) years’ imprisonment for corruption-related offences involving the misappropriation of public funds.
Several long-standing customers who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity said the conviction of a senior staff member has shaken their confidence in the bank’s internal controls and governance systems. One customer, who said he has banked with UBA for several years, described the ruling as “deeply worrying,” adding that the involvement of a top operations official in fraud has raised fears about the security of customers’ funds.
“Seeing someone at that level convicted for corruption makes you question how safe your money really is,” the customer said. “Some of us are already considering moving our funds to other banks.”
The concerns come amid reports that some account holders are contemplating withdrawing their savings as a precautionary measure, although UBA has not issued any official statement indicating that customers’ deposits are at risk.
Court Jails UBA Head of Operations
The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, sitting at the Main Law Courts Building in Freetown, on Monday sentenced Fredrick Caulker to a total of forty (40) years’ imprisonment after finding him guilty on four counts of 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 proved beyond reasonable doubt that Caulker unlawfully diverted statutory tax payments intended for the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
Charges and Nature of the Offences
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 offences, the convict, a resident of No. 38A Taylor Street, Wellington, Freetown, abused his position as Head of Operations at UBA by unlawfully diverting Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) and withholding tax payments made by the Small Holder Commercialization Agri-Business Development Project (SCADeP) to the NRA on various occasions.
Evidence Presented by the Prosecution
In support of its case, the prosecution called eight (8) witnesses, including a banker from Commerce Mortgage Bank, who testified about 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 processed several SWIFT inflows from the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, clearly marked as tax payments payable to the NRA.
PW2 testified that an inflow of Le 293,749.80, bearing the signature of the convict, was not posted to the NRA’s designated account as required.
“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 stated that another payment of Le 169,134.29 was processed under direct instructions from Caulker. PW2 also revealed that a much larger sum of Le 1,291,623.50, similarly intended for the NRA, was redirected after the convict claimed he had received a phone call alleging the transfer was a mistake. He said he was instructed to divert the funds to an alternative account numbered 540 520 520 002 168.
Additionally, PW2 disclosed that another inflow of Le 255,725.81 was also paid into an account other than the NRA’s, following similar instructions from the convict.
Court’s Findings and Sentence
In delivering his ruling, Justice Allieu held that although the prosecution failed to establish the offence of conspiracy, it successfully proved the substantive counts 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, Caulker was found guilty and sentenced to ten (10) years’ imprisonment on each count, with the court ordering that the sentences run consecutively, resulting in a total custodial sentence of forty (40) years.
Restitution Order
In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered Caulker 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 Assurance and Information
While the case has raised public concern, financial analysts note that the conviction demonstrates the effectiveness of oversight and accountability mechanisms within the justice system. They urge customers to seek official clarification from the bank and regulators before making hasty financial decisions.
For further information 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.