The Anti-Corruption Commission won a big conviction when the High Court found a former senior banking official of UBA guilty of misappropriating public funds.
The High Court of Sierra Leone, sitting in Freetown, on Monday, 19 January 2026, convicted Fredrick Caulker, former Head of Operations at United Bank for Africa, on four counts of corruption. The case was presided over by Justice Aiah Simeon Allieu, who delivered a firm judgment that underscored the seriousness of financial crimes involving public revenue.
Caulker was sentenced to a total of forty years imprisonment, with ten years attached to each count, to run consecutively. In the alternative, the court imposed a fine of one hundred thousand new leones on each count, amounting to four hundred thousand new leones in total.
The conviction is in relation to various offences of misappropriation of public funds, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 as amended by the 2019 Act. “The Court further ordered the convict, Rhoda Nyer Caulker, to pay a restitution of NLE 1,980,233.40 into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of Sierra Leone. Being the total revenue misappropriated by the convict from the public, this amount shall be paid within ninety days from the date of judgment.
According to the ACC, the offences stem from Caulker’s role in diverting tax payments meant for the National Revenue Authority. On 25 November 2024, he was indicted for unlawfully redirecting PAYE and withholding taxes paid by the Small Holder Commercialization Agri-Business Development Project to unauthorized accounts while he was Head of Operations at UBA. The money was to be paid into NRA’s accounts.
The matter was referred to the ACC by the Managing Director of UBA, whose cooperation throughout the investigation was acknowledged by the Commission.
In a statement accompanying the conviction, the ACC reassured the public of its continued resolve to protect public funds and to curb corruption in all its forms. The Commission emphasized that the case reflects its commitment to accountability, regardless of status or position.
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The judgment adds to a growing list of high-profile convictions and sends a clear signal that financial misconduct involving public resources will attract severe legal consequences.
