By braheem Daramy
FERENSOLA

The figures quoted by the head of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Kaifala, allegedly siphoned by Thomas Daddy Brima threw me off balance. It’s been a while since my last piece.

Going back to those days when Alimu Bah was Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Football Associates (SLFA), the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), had its hands filled to the brim before it finally secured conviction. The convict, touted as a catalyst to those seeking a career in the administration of the world’s most popular sport, had a promising career that suffered a stillbirth. Even though he was credited for progressive reforms that drew admiration from rival federations, he was however accused of self-destruct by his critics. He never got back to his feet since that monumental fall from grace.

Next in line was Madam Isha Johansson, who saw through two uninterrupted terms of office, albeit sustained turbulence. Her run-in with the anti graft watchdog is well documented, but the one that stood out is her acquittal by a whisker from a landmark case for misappropriation. According to the ruling, she was on trial for misappropriating money sent by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to conduct Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan on some members of our U17 football team. The SLFA was suppose to fly the team to Niger where they would undergo the scan, but instead, stayed in Freetown where they underwent the procedure done by a CAF recognised laboratory. This is aimed at curbing age cheating, something that is rife on the continent. In the judge’s opinion, and under the circumstance, the ACC was unable to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. And what was so profound about the ruling was the definition of the word misappropriation. Given the SLFA actually went ahead and carried out the MRI scan on the said players, with a changed location though, does put into doubt the allegation of misappropriation.

But in all of the above, a period that I was so active in the sport, there was nothing like what I witnessed when the current football Chief, Thomas Daddy Brima, was guest of honour at integrity house, on Tower Hill in Freetown. Social media was inundated with releases from groups claiming association to the Sierra Leone Football Associates (SLFA). The one that caught my attention the most was the one from the Union of Premier League Clubs dated 3rd April, 2025. It said the union stood in solidarity with the FA Chief and the two others. Maybe the most insensitive part is when they threatened to suspend their participation in the league with immediate effect. For a league that does not attract fans to its games, because of poor facilities coupled with questionable calls by match officials, I wonder the number of supporters that would still remain loyal by the time they get back to work.

The list of sport administrators being investigated and others convicted with lifetime sanctions is endless, but there has never been a hold on the playing side of things. The interest of the fans, cooperate bodies, etc. does seem to hold sway. There was an allegation that the FA president offered bribe to each of the affiliated FAs in the country to give him another mandate during congress. So among other things, the ACC thought they already had enough and he was arrested. But for those suspected to have received the windfall to come out like the way did, will only have us begin to think probably they are standing up for their benefactor.

There is no denying about corruption in our football. I remember the open bribery that took place in Makeni that saw the return of the late Nahim Khadi into office. Bangso, one of the leading contenders, got ahead of himself and almost declared himself the winner even when voting has not started – because he thought he already had the magic number of delegates. Only if he knew what the man that pipped him had in store as a last gasp, he would not have been that naive.

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