The Judiciary of Sierra Leone has come under scrutiny after the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) disclosed that more than NLe69 billion (old Leones) in non-tax revenue remains unaccounted for.

The revelation came during a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) session in Parliament on Thursday, chaired by Hon. Paramount Chief Kargobai.

According to the auditors, revenue collected from the Law Courts at Pademba Road and Ross Road amounted to NLe27.2 billion, but the funds could not be traced in the designated Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB) sub-treasury account.

In addition, the Waterloo Magistrate Court was found to have deposited NLe42.3 billion into an ECOWAS Levy Treasury Account at UBA Bank, instead of the required SLCB account. Auditors stressed that this amount was not reflected in official bank statements, raising concerns about possible diversion.

“The absence of supporting documents such as deposit slips, credit advice, and bank statements makes the issue unresolved,” the ASSL warned, adding that the missing funds posed a high risk of misappropriation and could undermine the intended use of public resources.

The auditors recommended that the Master and Registrar collaborate with the Commissioner of Non-Tax Revenue to investigate the irregularities and ensure that the funds are refunded into the Consolidated Fund.

The PAC has given the Judiciary until Wednesday next week to provide evidence of the missing monies. Failure to comply, the committee cautioned, will result in instructions to the Accountant General to recover the funds directly from staff deemed responsible.