By Mohamed Fajah Barrie
The president of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Thomas Daddy Brima, addressed his supporters after he, along with Secretary General Mohamed Benson Bawoh and Finance Officer Ibrahim Bah, were released on bail by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). They had spent the previous night at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Their detention stems from ongoing investigations into serious allegations of financial mismanagement, procurement irregularities, and abuse of office under President Brima’s leadership according to the ACC commissioner Francis Ben Kailfala.
President Brima has denied any wrongdoing, stating that FIFA has never found him at fault and that the SLFA’s financial records are always available for review.
Key Allegations Under Investigation:
*Misappropriation of Funds: There are claims of misappropriating funds from SLFA accounts at Union Trust Bank (UTB) and Commercial and Mortgage Bank (CMB) without proper documentation.
*Irregular Contract Awards: The ACC is investigating the irregular awarding of a $527,000 contract to Lexons Company and a $50,000 contract to Alcon Construction, where established procurement protocols were bypassed.
*Improper Administrative Action: President Brima allegedly placed the general secretary on leave without sufficient justification.
Key Findings:
*Fund Transfers: Between June 2021 and January 2025, a total of $720,144 was transferred from SLFA accounts to President Brima’s accounts. Only $100,000 of this amount is potentially attributed to legitimate allowances, while the remaining $620,000 lacks justification and is claimed to be for refunds related to the pre-financing of trips and other activities.
*Unexplained Transfers: A total of NLe 498,200 was transferred to President Brima’s account during this period without any documentation or explanation provided by the financial officer.
*Lack of Documentation: Multiple reimbursements were processed for President Brima without proper documentation. Some payments were made in cash, violating both FIFA and SLFA protocols.
*Forged Documents: Lexons allegedly submitted forged documents to secure contracts, including fake audited financial statements and falsified NASSIT receipts. The SLFA failed to vet or reject these documents.
*Manipulated Procurement Process: The procurement process was reportedly manipulated to favour Lexons and Alcon, with evaluation criteria altered or hidden from public announcements.
*Conflict of Interest: Transfers were made to Castleton Rhodes Commodities, a company owned by President Brima, just two weeks after he was elected president, raising clear conflict of interest concerns.
*Allowance Irregularities:There were inconsistencies and duplications in the allowances collected by President Brima for trips he did not attend or to which he was not entitled.
*Unilateral Changes to Bank Signatories: President Brima made unilateral changes to SLFA bank signatories without the approval of the executive committee, violating SLFA statutes.
