By Alimatu Jalloh
The High Court of Sierra Leone, presided over by Justice Cosmotina Jarrett, has convicted Issa Kamara, Chief Examiner of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), on multiple corruption charges. The ruling was delivered in Freetown on May 22, 2025.
Kamara was found guilty on five counts, including Abuse of Office, Abuse of Position, Conspiracy to Commit a Corruption Offense, Influencing a Public Officer, and Academic Malpractice, under the Anti-Corruption Act No. 12 of 2008, amended in 2019.
Sentencing and Court Orders
The court sentenced Issa Kamara to pay fines amounting to Le 170,000, broken down as follows:
- Le 30,000 per count for the first four offenses.
- Le 50,000 for the academic malpractice charge.
Alternatively, he faces a five-year prison term if the fines are not paid immediately.
Additionally, Kamara has been banned for five years from teaching, serving as a WAEC Chief Examiner, or engaging in any profession that could enable academic malpractice.
Case Details
Kamara pleaded guilty to all five charges after admitting to conferring an undue advantage to Foday Fasuluku Mansaray, a candidate in the May/June 2024 WASSCE. He was caught handing the candidate’s exam script to Ibrahim Kamara, who answered some of the questions before returning the paper for official marking.
The trial of Ibrahim Kamara remains ongoing at the High Court.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating examination malpractice and other forms of corruption in Sierra Leone. The public is urged to report unethical practices to the Commission.
For further inquiries, contact Alex A. Bah, Public Relations Assistant, via +232-78-004714 or email info@anticorruption.gov.sl.