Justice Simeon Allieu Sentences UBA Staff to 40 Years’ Imprisonment, Orders Repayment of Over Le1.9 Million
By Osman Marah
The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court sitting at the Main Law Courts in Freetown has sentenced the Head of Operations at United Bank for Africa (UBA), Fredrick Caulker, to a total of forty (40) years’ imprisonment for corruption-related offences.
Delivering judgment, Court of Appeal Judge, Honourable Justice Aiah Simeon Allieu, found Caulker guilty on four counts of misappropriation of public funds, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12 of 2008, as amended by the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2019.
Caulker was charged on a five-count indictment, including conspiracy and misappropriation of public funds. The case arose from the diversion of Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) and withholding tax payments made by the Small Holder Commercialization Agribusiness Development Project (SCADeP) to the National Revenue Authority (NRA).
According to the prosecution, while serving as Head of Operations at UBA, Caulker unlawfully redirected several tax payments meant for the NRA. Evidence before the court revealed that funds transferred through SWIFT payments were diverted into accounts other than the designated NRA account, allegedly on the direct instructions of the accused.
The prosecution called eight witnesses, including a banker from Commerce Mortgage Bank. A key witness, Prosecution Witness Two (PW2), testified that he acted on instructions from Caulker, his former supervisor, to post and redirect multiple payments. The sums involved included Le293,749.80, Le169,134.29, Le1,291,623.50, and Le255,725.81, all of which were originally intended for the NRA.
In his ruling, Justice Allieu acquitted and discharged the accused on Count Five, holding that the prosecution failed to prove the elements of conspiracy beyond reasonable doubt. However, on Counts One to Four, the court found Caulker guilty and sentenced him to ten (10) years’ imprisonment on each count.
The sentences are to run consecutively, resulting in a total custodial sentence of forty (40) years.
In addition to the prison term, the court ordered Caulker to repay Le1,980,233.40 into the Consolidated Revenue Fund within ninety (90) days from the date of judgment.
The ruling underscores the judiciary’s resolve to combat corruption and safeguard public funds, particularly within key financial institutions entrusted with managing government revenue.
