ICASL Vindicates Suspended Auditor-General
The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sierra Leone (ICASL) has released its investigation findings, exonerating Auditor-General Lara Taylor-Pearce and Deputy Auditor-General Tamba Momoh. The ICASL Investigation Committee, tasked with assessing whether the two breached ethical standards as outlined in the ICASL Code of Ethics, the International Standards on Auditing (ISA), and other frameworks, confirmed that they acted with integrity, adhering to international and national auditing standards. ICASL President Blanche Gooding announced that Taylor-Pearce and Momoh are “fully qualified to continue in their roles, free from any doubts about their professionalism or integrity.”
In contrast, a report from the Budget Advocacy Network (BAN) criticizes the tribunal’s proceedings, citing procedural flaws, reliance on state witnesses, and disregard for expert testimony, which it argues compromised the tribunal’s conclusions. BAN calls on Parliament to delay action on the tribunal’s recommendations until a more impartial assessment is conducted and urges judicial oversight by the Supreme Court on related cases filed by Taylor-Pearce. BAN also cautions that any proposed amendments to Sierra Leone’s Constitution affecting the Auditor-General’s role should ensure the position’s independence and focus on procedural improvements only.
