By Mahamood Fofana
The President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Babadi Kamara, has revealed alleged financial and procurement irregularities linked to the previous SLFA administration led by Thomas Daddy Brima, prompting the Association to formally refer the matter to FIFA for further action.
According to Kamara, the irregularities are connected to a FIFA-funded contract valued at Two Hundred and Sixteen Thousand United States Dollars (US$216,000), which was approved for the supply of furniture and other related equipment for the SLFA Secretariat. The contract reportedly included items such as office furniture and CCTV cameras intended to improve infrastructure and security at the Association.
However, findings from an internal review uncovered troubling inconsistencies in how the funds were managed. Kamara disclosed that a payment of One Hundred and Thirty Thousand United States Dollars (US$130,000) was made to the supplier on 15 July 2022 through a bank account that was opened solely for the transaction. More concerning, he said, is the fact that Seventy Thousand United States Dollars (US$70,000) was withdrawn from that account on the same day the funds were received.
The SLFA President described this action as a clear breach of established financial and procurement procedures, raising serious red flags within the Association. He noted that such practices undermine basic principles of transparency and fiduciary responsibility expected in sports governance.
Further anomalies were discovered regarding the scope of the contract. Kamara explained that although the contract was awarded to an electronic retail entity, items such as mobile phones and computers were reportedly collected from the supplier’s premises. He stressed that these electronic items were not captured within the approved contract scope, making their procurement unprocedural and inconsistent with standard requirements for furniture supply contracts.
In addition, Kamara revealed that a physical verification exercise conducted at the SLFA Secretariat identified furniture assets with an estimated value of only Thirteen Thousand United States Dollars (US$13,000). He confirmed that there is no documentary evidence to support claims that furniture worth the contracted amount was delivered to the Association. No delivery notes, supply certificates, or acknowledgement records were found from either the supplier or the SLFA.
Reaffirming his commitment to accountability and transparency, Kamara stated that such actions amount to serious breaches of fiduciary management and directly contradict his administration’s reform agenda. He confirmed that a comprehensive investigative report has been submitted to FIFA, as the source of the funds, for review and guidance.
Kamara assured stakeholders that the SLFA Executive Committee will act in accordance with the Association’s statutes to address the matter decisively and restore confidence in football administration in Sierra Leone.
