By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Headquarters of ACC on Tower hill in Freetown
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has indicted the Chief Examiner of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Issa Kamara, along with his assistant, Ibrahim Kamara, on 11 counts of corruption-related offenses, including academic malpractice.
According to a press release signed by the Director of Public Education and External Outreach at the ACC, Abubakarr Turay, Issa Kamara faces six counts, while Ibrahim Kamara has been charged with five counts.
The charges include abuse of office, academic malpractice, conspiracy, using office for advantage, and influencing a public official—contrary to various provisions of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act of 2008.
This indictment will likely spur public debate over the credibility of public examinations in Sierra Leone, because many have already been questioning the integrity of the education system.
The ACC alleges that the two officials used their positions to confer an unfair advantage on Foday Fasuluku Mansaray, a candidate in the May/June 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Specifically, the ACC claims that in August 2024, Issa Kamara obtained an examination script belonging to his nephew and handed it over to Ibrahim Kamara, who answered some of the questions before the script was returned and mixed in with others for marking.
The Commission has reiterated its unwavering commitment to eradicating examination malpractice and tackling all forms of corruption in Sierra Leone.
