Freetown, 9 July 2025 — Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formally presented a cheque of One Million New Leones (equivalent to One Billion Old Leones) to the Mayor of Freetown, Her Worship Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, as part of recovered public funds misappropriated through a widespread corruption scheme involving staff of the Freetown City Council (FCC) and banking officials.
The presentation, held at the ACC’s Integrity House in Freetown, follows a major investigation into the fraudulent diversion of Three Million New Leones (Three Billion Old Leones) from FCC revenue streams. The funds were illicitly routed through the FCC Football Club account—an account initially established in 2019 to manage team welfare but later exploited as a conduit for embezzlement.
According to ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala, the corruption syndicate involved council staff in collusion with officials of Commerce and Mortgage Bank. Investigators uncovered that individuals altered checks by appending “Football Club” to the payee line, allowing large sums meant for the Council to be redirected into an unauthorized account.
While presenting the cheque, Commissioner Kaifala underscored the critical role of institutional collaboration and financial restitution in combating corruption. He stressed that the Commission’s investigation clearly demonstrated that the fraudulent activities would not have been possible without internal collusion within the bank.
“This One Million Leones is a symbolic presentation,” Commissioner Kaifala stated during the ceremony. “The remaining amount will be transferred in due course as we continue to ensure full recovery and accountability,” he added.
Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, who received the cheque on behalf of the Council, expressed deep appreciation to the ACC for what she described as a “robust intervention” in a matter that threatened both financial integrity and public trust.
She noted that although the Council had initiated its own internal inquiries, it was the legal authority and investigative capacity of the ACC that ultimately exposed the full scope of the fraud. Mayor Aki-Sawyerr emphasized that the issue extends beyond the recovery of funds, underscoring the importance of accountability and the need to demonstrate that misconduct carries real consequences.
She further described the scandal as a serious blow to public sector integrity, given the involvement of both FCC employees and banking staff. However, she commended the partnership between FCC and the ACC, emphasizing that their relationship has been collaborative, not adversarial.
“Our partnership with the ACC was never adversarial, as many assumed,” Mayor Aki-Sawyerr noted. “It has proven collaborative and constructive.”
The symbolic handover was witnessed by Deputy ACC Commissioner Augustine Foday Ngobie, FCC Chief Administrator Tom Rahman Farma, and other senior officials from both institutions.
