The All People’s Congress (APC) Parliamentary Caucus has firmly opposed the recommendation made by a Tribunal to remove Sierra Leone’s Auditor-General, Lara Taylor-Pearce, and her Deputy, Tamba Momoh, from office.
This opposition was articulated in a statement by the APC’s Parliamentary Leader, Honourable Abdul Kargbo, who expressed serious concerns over the fairness and transparency of the Tribunal’s proceedings.
The APC asserts that Taylor-Pearce and Momoh have consistently adhered to international auditing protocols, including the International Standards on Auditing (ISA) and the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI).
These standards, the party claims, do not require auditors to obtain consent from auditees when conducting third-party verifications, particularly in cases where fraud is suspected. The Tribunal, according to the APC, ignored testimony from international auditing experts who confirmed that such consent is unnecessary under these guidelines.
The APC warned that removing the Auditor-General could undermine the independence and integrity of Sierra Leone’s accountability institutions, notably the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL). The party argues that this move would weaken oversight mechanisms and discourage auditors from conducting their duties freely, posing a serious threat to transparency in government operations.
In particular, the APC defended the ASSL’s audit of the Freetown City Council (FCC), which had come under scrutiny in the Tribunal’s report. The party noted that the FCC received an “unqualified opinion” for its 2020 financial statements, indicating a clean audit, and argued that the ASSL was not required to audit certain non-governmental projects linked to the FCC, making the Tribunal’s criticisms baseless.
The APC also highlighted the support Taylor-Pearce has received from professional bodies, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sierra Leone (ICASL) and the global auditing body INTOSAI. Both organizations found no evidence of professional misconduct by Taylor-Pearce or her Deputy, further challenging the Tribunal’s conclusions.
Given that Parliament would need a two-thirds majority to approve the Tribunal’s recommendation, the APC’s opposition could play a decisive role in blocking the motion to dismiss Taylor-Pearce. The party has called on President Julius Maada Bio to reconsider the Tribunal’s findings, arguing that removing the Auditor-General could damage public trust in Sierra Leone’s oversight institutions and hinder efforts to maintain transparency and accountability.
The APC’s strong resistance reflects broader concerns over the Tribunal’s report and its potential implications for governance in Sierra Leone, raising questions about the political motivations behind the move to dismiss the country’s top auditor.
