One of Sierra Leone’s Most Respected Barrister and Solicitor, Yada Williams, has issued a strong rebuttal to the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) following the institution’s recent press release dismissing his bribery complaint against a Road Safety Warden as “unsubstantiated.”
In a detailed public response, Williams expressed deep concern over what he described as an inconsistent and misleading account presented by the SLRSA in its 11 November 2025 statement. According to him, the management’s position contradicts the findings of the investigative panel established by the Authority itself to probe the incident.
Williams revealed that the investigative body comprising the Director of Human Resources and five senior Road Safety Wardens conducted a formal hearing on 7 November 2025, where both he and the accused warden, Abdulai Barrie, provided their accounts of the events of 3 November.
He stated that the panel acknowledged wrongdoing and issued an apology on behalf of the Authority. The Director of Human Resources reportedly said:
“On behalf of the Board, Management and staff, I want to tender our sincere apology… those things he did are not of the Authority. We want to apologize. As an Authority, we have to take administrative action.”
Williams argued that this official apology directly contradicts the tone and claims of the SLRSA’s later public statement.
The senior lawyer emphasized that his allegation of bribery was made in good faith, adding that corruption involving traffic wardens is a well-known concern among citizens.
He noted that although he did not produce audio or video evidence, the warden’s own admissions during the investigation including suggestions that they conduct discussions inside Williams’ vehicle and a request for NLe 250,000were sufficient to substantiate his complaint. He stressed that wardens have no authority to alter fines prescribed by law.
Williams harshly criticized the SLRSA’s appeal for him to retract his statement, describing the request as “ridiculous and disingenuous.” He argued that it was illogical for the Authority to set up an investigation, issue an apology following its findings, and then publicly characterize his report as baseless.
“It would appear as if the Management… was uncomfortable with the findings of the investigative body and was seeking to jettison it,” he wrote.
Williams maintained that his actions were motivated by civic responsibility, adding that progress in Sierra Leone depends on citizens speaking up and institutions responding with accountability rather than defensiveness.
“I therefore stick to my story that Mr. Barrie solicited a bribe from me,” he concluded.
