During a conference held at "Integrity House" yesterday, Francis Ben Kaifala ESQ, the Anti-Corruption Commissioner, confirmed that state funds amounting to NLE151 million have been recovered from Abibatu Tarawally, the wife of the Clerk of Parliament.
Kaifala explained that the money was received as salary by Tarawally for a period of 19 months despite not doing any work during that time. He added that although there are no prohibitions against spousal recruitment, it is necessary to disclose the relationship or remove oneself from the recruitment process to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure a fair recruitment process.
The Commissioner stated that his office lacks the authority to determine the administrative actions to be taken against the Clerk of Parliament, other than the recovery of funds and further investigation into his conduct. He revealed that recent consultations with the President suggest a possibility of executive action, which would be determined by the President himself.
The issue of unfair advantage given to an individual in the House of Parliament by the Clerk had emerged earlier this year during the verification of payroll and employees, following redundancy efforts on the directive of the Parliamentary Service Commission. The employment of Mrs. Abibatu Tarawally had been questioned, leading to public outcry and contributing to the current development.
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