In a detailed response to a recent press release from the Office of the Press Secretary at State House, Tamba Momoh, the former Deputy Auditor General of Sierra Leone, addressed the suspension of both Mrs. Lara Taylor-Pearce, Auditor General, and himself.
Suspended on November 11, 2021, due to allegations of “professional performance or the lack thereof” concerning an audit of the Office of the President for the 2020 financial year, Mr. Momoh robustly defended his professional integrity.
He emphasized his dedicated service since joining the Audit Service Sierra Leone in 2009, highlighting significant audits he led, including those on Sierra Leone’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations, Management of Ebola Funds, Management of COVID-19 Response, and a technical audit requested by the SLPP-led government in 2018.
Mr. Momoh pointed out a procedural issue raised by his legal team at the Tribunal’s first hearing on March 17, 2022. His lawyer, Mohamed Pa-Momo Fofanah Esq., argued that the Tribunal lacked jurisdiction over Mr. Momoh, suggesting that the Audit Service Board, according to the Audit Service Act 2014, should conduct such investigations. Despite opposition from the Tribunal and Attorney General, the matter was referred to the Audit Service Board.
Despite his concerns, Mr. Momoh continued to participate through his legal team until the Tribunal concluded on December 16, 2023. He resigned from the Audit Service Sierra Leone on July 30, 2023. On June 12, 2024, Mr. Momoh attended a meeting where the Tribunal announced its report would be presented to the President. However, Mr. Momoh and his lawyers have yet to receive this report despite repeated requests.
Expressing shock at the Tribunal’s recommendation for his removal from an organization he no longer serves, Mr. Momoh publicly called on the Attorney General to present the alleged misconduct case to three leading accountancy bodies: The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sierra Leone (ICASL), The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), UK, and The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), USA.
“Since I became a professional accountant in August 2003 (almost 20 years ago) in the United Kingdom, I have conducted myself well as a professional, and this is testament to the engagements I have had, and continue to have, with many international organizations and institutions, such as the African Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (AFROSAI), the African Organization of English Speaking Supreme Audit Intuitions (AFROSAI-E), and the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the International Financial Reporting for Non-Profit Organizations (IFR4NPO) Project,” he stated.
In closing, Mr. Momoh assured the people of Sierra Leone and its friends that the true facts of this case would eventually be revealed.
He expressed gratitude to his supporters and legal team, maintaining his stance of having acted professionally and ethically during his tenure at the Audit Service Sierra Leone.
