Freetown – Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, the SLPP Member of Parliament for Pujehun District (Constituency 101) and former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, has called for a full investigation into an alleged visa fraud involving the unauthorised use of his name.
The development follows notification from the US Embassy in Freetown that Hon. Tunis is currently ineligible for a US visa. This comes despite his previous official and regular travels to the United States in his capacities as a senior parliamentarian and regional legislative leader.
According to Hon. Tunis, embassy officials informed him that a Note Verbale submitted by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in 2023 had requested US visas for him and a person identified as Chabatan Bah. The document reportedly described Bah as his Executive Assistant.
Hon. Tunis has firmly denied any professional relationship with Bah. He stated that he never employed or worked with the individual, either during his time as Leader of Government Business in Parliament or while serving as Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament from March 2020 to March 2024.
The long-serving lawmaker, who first entered Parliament in 2002 and remains one of the most experienced members of the House, is demanding that the relevant authorities thoroughly investigate how his name came to be linked to the Note Verbale and the associated visa request.
The incident occurs against a broader backdrop of concerns in Sierra Leone over the integrity of official travel documents and visa facilitation processes.
In recent years, authorities have publicly warned against various passport, visa and scholarship scams involving impersonation of officials and fraudulent networks.
Hon. Tunis, a prominent SLPP figure and close ally of President Julius Maada Bio, continues to represent Pujehun District while remaining active in national and party affairs. No further official response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the US Embassy has been made public at the time of writing.
