On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, a delegation from Cameroon’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) visited Mr. William Fayia Sellu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), at his office on George Street, Freetown.
The team, led by Public Relations Assistant Mr. Alex A. Bah explained that the Anti Corruption team from Cameroon is in Sierra Leone for a study tour aimed at understanding how the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) in Sierra Leone combats corruption and collaborates with law enforcement agencies.
Madam Irene Morikang Tche, who heads the Prevention and Communication Division of the National Anti-Corruption Commission of Cameroon, represented the chairman of the commission, who was unable to attend.
She emphasized the delegation’s purpose: benchmarking Sierra Leone’s anti-corruption efforts based on insights shared by Ben Kelfala, the Head of the ACC in Sierra Leone, during a recent Commonwealth meeting for Heads of Anti-Corruption Agencies held in Ghana.
“We are particularly interested in the non-judicial recovery methods employed here while Cameroon is in the process of developing a new anti-corruption law. Understanding the collaboration between your ACC and police forces is crucial for us, as we also maintain a strong relationship with law enforcement back home,” Madam Tche noted.
In response, IGP Fayia Sellu warmly welcomed the delegation to Sierra Leone and highlighted the vital functions of the Sierra Leone Police.
He explained that the police is an autonomous institution committed to protecting lives and property, maintaining public order, and enforcing the nation’s laws.
“The Sierra Leone Police operates under a code of conduct passed by Parliament in 2001, which outlines 47 regulations governing our officers’ behaviour,” said IGP Sellu.
He further elaborated that police officers are subject to national laws as well as disciplinary regulations specific to the police force.
“In instances where police personnel are accused of corruption, the ACC conducts investigations and refers the findings back to the police administration for necessary action,” he added.
The IGP emphasized the collaborative efforts between the Sierra Leone Police and the ACC, detailing two key platforms for cooperation. The first is the Integrity Management Committee, established across local police administrations to oversee and sensitize officers against corrupt practices. The second platform is the West Africa Police Information System, which facilitates the sharing of information about criminal activities between the ACC and the police.
“Through these platforms, the ACC supervises our efforts to combat corruption, and we conduct joint operations as well,” IGP Sellu explained.
He also mentioned that during police recruitment training, representatives from oversight bodies like the ACC and the Independent Police Complaint Board provide briefings on their respective mandates.
The meeting concluded with a group photograph, symbolizing the strengthened ties between the two nations’ anti-corruption bodies and their shared commitment to combating corruption.
