Sierra Leone's Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has discovered significant accountability failures within the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL), raising concerns about unverified election-related expenditures.

Acting PAC Chairman, P. C. Kargobai, disclosed during committee proceedings that critical financial documentation, such as fuel receipts and distribution lists, were conspicuously absent from ECSL's records, severely hampering efforts to audit funds purportedly spent during recent electoral operations.

The committee outlined that ECSL reported expenditures of Le 3.6 billion on fuel, motorbikes, and logistical support but initially failed to provide essential receipts or distribution records.

While fuel receipts totaling Le 3,092,840,000 have now been submitted and validated, an outstanding amount of Le 507,256,000 remains unaccounted for, Kargobai said.

'We are not claiming misuse of funds, but verification is non-negotiable,' he asserted, imposing a one-week deadline for ECSL to produce the remaining documents. He has also mandated the deployment of an auditor to ECSL to expedite the verification process.

The PAC uncovered outstanding impress funds totaling Le 7.9 billion, allocated in 2016 to district electoral offices for essential activities including staff and police training, as well as voter awareness campaigns during parliamentary and chieftaincy elections.

Out of this amount, Le 7,447,039,000 has been reconciled, leaving Le 520,249,000 still pending proper retirement. Officials asserted that the remaining documentation was securely stored and would be reviewed shortly.

Additionally, an estimated Le 3 billion reportedly spent on unspecified electoral activities came under rigorous examination. Currently, only Le 2 billion of this expenditure has been substantiated with documentation, leaving a questionable gap of over Le 1 billion.

The PAC emphasized the critical role of documentation in restoring public confidence in state institutions. 'We are determined to track every expenditure,' Kargobai affirmed.

'Transparency and accountability are not just ideals; they are imperatives,' he said.

The Committee urged ECSL and other government entities to prioritize the timely retirement of public funds and to ensure that all supporting documents are readily accessible for audit review.