December 9, 2020 (232News)
FREETOWN –This is the first time that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has taken keen interest in audit reports as they analyzed audit reports from 2015 to 2018 for which the commission has recouped over 2Billion unaccounted state money.
One of the issues which the ACC looked into is the unauthorized withdrawals of up Le4.9B at the Forestry and the Impress Accounts of the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to statement from ACC, the Audit Report alleged that officials of Ministry of Agriculture cannot account for withdrawals made from the Forestry’s Account, totaling Four Billion Leones (Le4B) and that preliminary investigations have started.
That as such, the Commission has started analyzing relevant documents, and has accordingly obtained statements from the Permanent Secretary, and other key persons of interest for which the investigation is now at an advanced stage.
That the Audit Report also alleged that other staff members of the Ministry of Agriculture made several withdrawals amounting to Nine Hundred and Five Million Leones (Le905, 000, 000) from the Imprest Account without documents supporting the purposes of such withdrawals, or the supporting documents on the expenditure of same.
That the ACC has analyzed the statements of the said Imprest Account, with respect to inflows and outflows and that the investigation has reached advanced stage for which the public would soon be updated on the outcome of this investigation.
