Francis Ben Kaifala was appointed Commissioner of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) by President Bio on Wednesday 20 June 2018, after the former Commissioner, Ady Macauley, was sent on “indefinite leave”. Kaifala assured Sierra Leoneans… “Things are going to be different this time round.”
Francis Ben Kaifala, LL.M (Lond.), LLM (Cand – US), LL.B (Hons), B.L is a Senior partner in the firm, Kaifala, Kanneh & Co. He graduated from Fourah Bay College and won the Attorney-General Eke Ahmed Holloway Award from the University of Sierra Leone in recognition of his outstanding performance in his Undergraduate studies in 2006. He enrolled in and graduated from the Sierra Leone Law School in 2007 as the “Star Pupil” (Best Student) and Valedictorian and won several awards that year, including the Chief Justice Ade Renner-Thomas Prize for Best Student and the Prof. Alghali Prize for best All-rounder.
After seven years of legal practice with Wright & Co (Solicitors), he studied in the U.K. and obtained a Master’s Degree in Law and Economics and he holds the interdisciplinary LLM (Master of Laws) in Law and Economics jointly awarded by the School of Law and the School of Economics and Finance at Queen Mary, University of London, United Kingdom.
Kaifala received a Fulbright Scholarship in 2017 by the US Embassy and did a Master of Laws in Comparative Constitutional Law, Administrative Law and International Human Rights at the University of Texas.
He said, “As far as I am concerned, there is no big or small fish. Our mandate is to investigate corruption. So if you are the biggest whale in the water and you get hooked – you will be drawn out. If you are the smallest Mina in the water and you get hooked – you will be drawn out.”
Kaifala said, “I intend to bring a lot of changes in the way how things are done. My view of corruption is that it is perceptual so the first thing I will do is to target the minds of the people”.
The ACC appointee said, “People believe they can get away with corruption and it is only the exceptions that are charged but I intend to change that perception to say that those who get away with corruption are the exception not the rule.”
Kaifela confirmed, “Corruption is very high in the country. This scares away investors. My desire is to be right into that fight to ensure that people are aware that there is a serious apparatus aimed at reducing corruption if not eliminating it entirely. I want to ensure that we favourably reposition ourselves on the global indices of corruption ratings. So, instead of us being 130; we will get better and improve our rating.”
Recently, the President called for a special ACC court. Kaifala added, “I am very disillusioned about the present judiciary structure and system. So, we want our court to be faster, transparent and that we have a say in deciding the people we want to sit on the panel, our specialised prosecutors.”
Kaifala has been involved in several high profile legal cases including the defence of now Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alie Kabba, in the infamous bigamy trial. He is also a founder and member of the vocal “Renaissance Movement”.
BM/21/6/18
By Betty Milton
Friday June 22, 2018.
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