The President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Isha Johansen, has been indicted on six counts of corruption charges by the Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
This comes few days after her declaration to run for a second term in office. Johansen, one of the few females in football politics and a familiar figure in FIFA, has endured a number of controversies, internal quarrels and Governmental interference since she assumed office in 2013.
The Sierra Leone FA President, along with her Secretary General, Chris Kamara, both face charges of misappropriation of public funds and abuse of office. Both, as well as the Nation’s top football chiefs, were detained in 2016 for related charges but were released later in September the same year.
Johansen’s indictment came while she was attending Confederation of African football (CAF) meeting in Ghana. She is also a member of CAF’s Executive Committee and on FIFA’s member association committee.
The Anti-Corruption Commission however did not give full details of the indictment but said both were to make first appearance in court on October 30.
The SLFA President has denied all charges levied against her while speaking with the BBC;
“This announcement by the ACC was inevitable and predictable, I am deeply saddened.
“It’s another sad day for justice, integrity and patriotism in Sierra Leone, another sad day for any woman who dares to pioneer change. I always knew that my announcement to run for a second term would provoke strong reactions.”
Johansen, Kamara and SLFA vice President Brima Mazola Kamara were arrested in September 2016 and detained at the criminal and Investigation Department (CID), when they failed to attend a hearing.
The SLFA secretariat located in Freetown was also raided by the ACC officials, with documents and computers carted away to aid investigation.
The ACC has being investigating cases of misappropriation of funds in the football body since 2015. Head of the Commission, Ady Macaulay in his statement said “We think this is now the legally appropriate time for the decision. We are not concerned with politics of SLFA”.
However, FIFA has previously stated that it was satisfied with the financial books of the SLFA.
The SLFA elections was to hold in August, but was delayed by FIFA due to integrity check on current and potential candidates. FIFA delegates are expected to help organise the elections next month.
