Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara, has expressed grave concern over the findings of the Auditor General’s 2023 report, which reveals a staggering 980% increase in financial irregularities across Sierra Leone’s Ministries and Agencies.

In a statement shared on social media, Kamara compared the revelations in the report to scenes from a horror movie, describing the unaccounted funds as “dripping with blood” akin to Dracula’s victims. “It reminds me of my childhood days watching the horror movie Dracula. Like in the movie, the vampire bites the victims and the splurge of blood drips, likewise are the pages of the Audit Report, dripping with unaccounted funds, sucking life out of the economy,” Kamara wrote.

The former Attorney General also highlighted that the sacking and prosecution of the erstwhile Auditor-General, Lara Taylor-Pearce, failed to halt the misappropriation of public resources. “Even the sacking and prosecution of the erstwhile Auditor-General, Lara Taylor Pearce, could not spare the rampage of public funds,” he stated.

Kamara called for urgent government accountability, stressing the need for transparency in addressing public debts, misappropriation of funds, and wasteful spending of public resources. “It is time for the Government to answer to the people about public debts, misappropriation of funds, and wanton wastage of public resources,” he emphasized.

The Auditor General’s 2023 report has sparked widespread public debate and criticism, with many calling for systemic reforms to curb financial mismanagement and ensure the prudent use of public funds. Kamara’s statement has added to the growing calls for government transparency and action to address the alarming trend of financial irregularities.