Patrick Sandi Outlines Compliance Measures, Investigations and Institutional Integrity Efforts
By Marian Magdalene Bangura
Strategic Communication Unit – MoICE
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has reported 81 percent compliance in the 2026 public officers’ asset declaration exercise while highlighting ongoing investigations, prosecutions, recoveries and institutional integrity initiatives as part of its broader fight against corruption.
ACC Coordinator of Operations, Patrick Sandi, disclosed the update while speaking on “The 2026 Asset Declaration and Update on ACC Activities” at the Government’s Weekly Press Conference held on Tuesday, 18th August 2026, at the Miatta Civic Centre in Freetown.
Sandi said 13,036 of the 16,144 public officers targeted for the 2026 declaration exercise had complied as of the latest update, representing approximately 81 percent compliance.
He noted that the asset declaration portal is scheduled to close on Friday, 21st August 2026, after which the Commission will enforce sanctions against public officers who fail to comply.
According to Sandi, defaulters will first receive a 14-day default notice, followed by salary withholding for one month. Continued non-compliance could lead to three months’ suspension and eventual dismissal from office, in accordance with the law.
He said the previous declaration cycle recorded 17,173 declarations out of 17,253 targeted public officers, representing 99.54 percent compliance, with the remaining defaulters subsequently subjected to administrative sanctions
Sandi attributed improvements in the declaration process to reforms introduced under the 2019 amendment to the Anti-Corruption Act, alongside digital systems supported by the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI).
He said the digital platform has made the declaration process faster, easier, and more accessible to public officials, with further measures being considered to streamline the process through mobile-based services.
ACC Updates on Investigations and Integrity
Providing an update on the Commission’s wider activities, Sandi disclosed that the ACC had investigated 107 corruption-related cases, concluded 23, and recorded six successful prosecutions during the reporting period.
The Commission also recorded approximately Le 1.305 million in recoveries from completed investigations.
Sandi further highlighted the establishment of Integrity Management Committees across public institutions as part of the ACC’s preventive approach to corruption and its efforts to strengthen institutional accountability.
He urged citizens to remain active partners in the fight against corruption by providing credible information on suspected corrupt practices while assuring the public that mechanisms for reporting and witness protection remain available.
“The fight against corruption is still very robust. We are at the very top,” Sandi said, reaffirming the Commission’s determination to combat corruption and strengthen integrity in public life.
