In exercising his right to reply, the Director of Financial Intelligence Agency - Sierra Leone (FIA- SL), David Nyamakoro Borbor, has reacted to our Thursday 7th November, 2024 front-page banner headline "AS FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE BOSS REACHES HIS WATERLOO... DAVID BORBOR MUST GO! -ACC SHOULD INVESTIGATE"

Amongst other things, we reported that there were startling revelations about Director David Borbor that included his alleged corrupt practices in connivance with some senior officials in his cabal, his maladministration, sexual harassment and other vices.

In an exclusive interview with Director David N. Borbor, over the weekend, he denied the allegations in no uncertain terms and described them as the work of detractors fighting to bring him down.

David Borbor said that since he was approved by Parliament as Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) on Thursday, 3rd July 2020, he has no doubt that he has performed exemplarily well in his office with unblemishes.
For the record and in the interest of the public, Director David Borbor said it is important to state that the FIA is not a financial institution and the nature of its operations does not include declining or approving financial transactions, emphasising that the core mandate of the FIA is to receive, collect and analyze financial reports from designated reporting entities in order to produce financial intelligence products to facilitate the fight against money laundering, terrorist financing, and other financial crimes.

Though Director David Borbor acknowledged the challenges facing the institution, he pointed out that the importance of its membership is to focus on doing the right thing by adopting international standards to address money laundering and terrorist financing in not just Sierra Leone but also the sub-region.

He notes that the FIA is embarking on aggressive implementation of programmes and activities to address the risks and threats of money laundering and terrorist financing facing Sierra Leone.

He disclosed that the institution recently investigated the financial fraudulent act by Super Advertizes, an illegal online betting company that has defrauded many Sierra Leoneans, noting that this is not the first time the country is experiencing such but they have succeeded in clamping them down.

Director David Borbor furthered that the FIA froze Le3.4 billion accounts linked to Super Advertis agents who worked for Super Advertis in the country.

One of the successes of the institution, Director Borbor disclosed, is that the FIA was singularly recognized in June 2021 for its excellent collaboration and support given to the Inter-Governmental Action Group against money laundering commonly known as GIABA, the West African Financial Action Task Force (FATF) - the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog.

He said the Collaboration Award Ceremony was held at the Framissima Palm Beach Resort Hotel at Saly, Senegal, where he said the outgoing Director General of GIABA, His Lordship Justice Kimelabalou Aba, praised him and the entire Management and Staff of FIA Sierra Leone for their great effort in fostering regional cooperation by supporting the work of GIABA and for information sharing among FIUs in the sub-region.

Director Borbor also disclosed that in March 2022, the institution partnered with the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) in an effort to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other financial crimes through the development of financial intelligence in order to detect those vices.

In conclusion, Director Borbor disclosed that on Wednesday, 9th October 2024, the FIU and the Government of Jersey welcomed senior figures from the FIA Sierra Leone to the Island as part of a study visit and mentoring programme.
He said the delegation, which included him and his Deputy Director, Kadijaru Juma-Sei, met with public authorities involved in anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism and counter-proliferation financing.

He said he and his deputy discussed best practices with Ian McDonald, Associate Director of the government's Financial Crime Strategy team, and Jonathan Groom, Director of FIU Jersey.

Director Borbor said they also focused on interconnections in the global fight against financial crimes, both from an African and International Financial Centre perspective, and the work undertaken during the recent FATF MONEYVAL assessment of the Island. He said they also met with other key figures from the Island's authorities.

The visit, Director Borbor said, was focused on financial crime and funded by the Egmont Centre of Excellence and Leadership (EGOFEL) and marked the first Egmont Group sponsored study visit to share ideas, best practice and common challenges, as FIU - Jersey transitions and FIA - Sierra Leone develops.