Sierra Leone’s Anti Corruption Commissioner, Francis Ben Kaifala, has once again demonstrated his unwavering commitment to fighting corruption and restoring integrity to the nation. With the successful implementation of the 4th generation National Anti-Corruption Strategy from 2018 to 2023, which focused on strong enforcement measures, the ACC has achieved remarkable success in combating corruption and holding the guilty accountable.
Building on this success, Francis Ben Kaifala and the ACC have embarked on a new initiative to develop a 5th generation strategy for the years 2024 to 2028. This time, however, they have taken a commendable approach by assembling a team of Indigenous Experts who will consult with people from all corners of the nation and gather valuable insights. This inclusive and transparent process ensures that the voices of the people are heard and their opinions valued, instilling hope and optimism among Sierra Leoneans.
Taking to his social media, ACC Commissioner noted “Following the VERY SUCCESSFUL implementation of the 4th generation National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2018-2023 which had STRONG ENFORCEMENT as its key Pillar, ACC has assembled new set of Indigenous Experts to consult nationally and prepare a NEW 5th Generation Strategy (2024-28)”
Following the VERY SUCCESSFUL implementation of the 4th generation National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2018-2023 which had STRONG ENFORCEMENT as its key Pillar, ACC has assembled new set of Indigenous Experts to consult nationally and prepare a NEW 5th Generation Strategy (2024-28) pic.twitter.com/T8iSYiawAZ
— Francis Ben Kaifala🇸🇱 (@FrancisKaifala) August 6, 2023
The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Brig. (Rtd.) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, has re-appointed Francis Ben Kaifala to serve another five-year term as Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission Sierra Leone (ACC-SL), pursuant to Section 4(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2008 as amended in 2019. The renewal of tenure of the Commissioner was communicated by a letter of re-appointment dated 19th June, 2023 and took effect on 29th June, 2023, following the expiration of the first term on the 28th June, 2023.
The First five year-tenure of Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala has seen Sierra Leone make remarkable gains in the fight against Corruption and recorded unprecedented progress in local and international corruption perception indexes and surveys including; the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Scorecard, the Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, the Afro-Barometer Report, the Public Financial Management (PFM) Consortium National Corruption Perception Survey Report, etc.
In the past five years, Sierra Leone has been consistently exceptional in its score in the ‘Control of Corruption’ Indicator in the Millennium Challenge Corporation Scorecard, moving from 49 percent in 2017, to 83 percent and 79 percent in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Similar exponential jumps have been recorded in other reputable global corruption measurement institutions like Afrobarometer which confirmed that corruption prevalence has considerably reduced from 70% in 2015 to 40% in 2020, and a huge reduction in corruption prevalence in key public sector institutions and increased trust in the ACC from 43% in 2020 to 53% in 2022.
In the same vein, during the leadership of Francis Ben Kaifala, the ACC and Sierra Leone received many local and international accolades, laurels, awards and recognitions for efforts in the fight against corruption. In addition, the ACC made record convictions; recovered over Forty Five (45) Billion (Old) Leones cash; recovered vehicles, houses, and other immovables; and the period witnessed the construction and movement of the Commission into the Integrity House at Tower Hill; which now serves as the Commission’s new Headquarters Building in Freetown.
The ACC, in the last five years, embarked on a massive public education campaign on corruption issues across the country, as well as conducted systems and processes reviews of public offices, especially revenue generating institutions. The Commission also made corruption unfashionable by investigating and prosecuting persons suspected of committing acts of corruption, including those holding very high positions in Government.
Reacting to the re-appointment, the ACC Commissioner thanked President Bio for his unequivocal re-appointment and similarly congratulated him on his recent re-election as President of the Republic of Sierra Leone for a Second term. The Commissioner also wishes to thank, and continues to count on the Deputy Commissioner, the Board, Management and staff of the Commission; as well as the People of Sierra Leone for their continued belief and support.
Francis Ben Kaifala is the immediate past President of the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) and an elected Board Member of the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC). He lectures part-time, Commercial Law, at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.
Francis Ben Kaifala is a result oriented leader. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) Degree with Honours from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone and was called to the Sierra Leone Bar in 2007 having passed the Sierra Leone Law School’s Bar Examinations as the “Star Pupil”. Francis holds the LL.M in International Financial Law and Economics from Queen Mary University of London. He is also alumnus of the prestigious Fulbright Program and graduated with the LL.M in Comparative Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and International Human Rights at the University of Texas at Austin. He was Human Rights Scholar at the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Centre for Human Rights and Justice in the US; he is an Obama Africa Leader 2019 and Arch-Bishop Desmond Tutu Fellow 2022.
He was honored by the Department of State of the United States of America as one of 12 Global “International Anti-corruption Champions” in 2021. He was also named one of “100 Most Influential People of African Descent 2021” by the UN/MIPAD Initiative. Moreover, he was awarded Alumnus of the Year by the Center for Commercial Law Studies at Queen Mary University of London in the United Kingdom. He is also a Commissioner of Oath of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
