As part of efforts to strengthen regional cooperation in the fight against corruption and accelerate the recovery of stolen public assets across West Africa, the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force (AREPT) today welcomed the Commissioner of Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Kaifala, to its headquarters in Paynesville.
The engagement was led by AREPT Chairperson Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, and attended by Dr. Ranney B. Jackson, Vice Chairperson; Atty. Suzanne A. Johnson, Member and Lead for Legal and Policy Support; Corsby Malone Johnson, Veteran Intelligence Analyst and Integrity Systems Specialist; and other members and technical staff of the Task Force.
The high-level meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between the two institutions through the sharing of expertise, capacity building, and the development of joint strategies to improve asset recovery efforts across the West African sub-region.
Speaking during the engagement, Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in the fight against corruption and asset recovery efforts. He stated that stronger collaboration among institutions is essential for effectively tracing and recovering stolen public assets, noting that asset recovery remains central to anti-corruption work.
AREPT Chairperson Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin welcomed the engagement and described it as a milestone in strengthening institutional partnerships in the region. He noted that the visit reinforces AREPT’s commitment to joint action in combating corruption and recovering stolen assets across borders.
“We believe this engagement marks a significant step in strengthening our collaboration with sister anti-corruption institutions in West Africa as we work together to recover stolen assets and return them to the people,” Cllr. Martin said.
The engagement reaffirmed the shared commitment of both institutions to promoting accountability, transparency, and good governance while strengthening regional mechanisms to combat corruption and recover illicitly acquired assets.
