UBA Sierra Leone Commends ACC and Judiciary for Landmark Fraud Conviction
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Sierra Leone has lauded the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Judiciary for securing a landmark conviction in a high-profile financial crime case involving the bank’s former Head of Operations, Frederick Caulker.
In a statement issued following the conclusion of the matter, UBA Sierra Leone’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Alhajie Samoura, praised both the ACC and the Court for their swift, thorough, and professional handling of the case. The commendation follows a formal notification from the ACC dated 19 January 2026, confirming the successful prosecution of Caulker.
Frederick Caulker, of No. 38A Taylor Street, Wellington, Freetown, was convicted on four counts of corruption for misappropriating close to two billion Old Leones in public funds meant for the National Revenue Authority (NRA). The funds—comprising PAYE and withholding taxes paid by the Small Holder Commercialisation Agri-Business Development Project (SCADeP)—were unlawfully diverted from the designated NRA account into unauthorized channels during his tenure as Head of Operations at UBA.
Following UBA’s prompt internal detection and reporting of the irregularities to the ACC, Caulker absconded to the United States, where his family had relocated. Despite his absence, the ACC pursued the matter to its logical conclusion, ensuring that justice was not obstructed.
The Honourable Judge imposed a stiff sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment—10 years on each of the four counts, to run consecutively. In the alternative, Caulker was fined NLe 100,000 per count, amounting to a total fine of NLe 400,000. The court further ordered full restitution of NLe 1,980,233.40, being the exact amount misappropriated, to be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
Commenting on the verdict, ACC Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala, Esq., reiterated the Commission’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, stating on social media: “We will not allow him to enjoy his criminality ever happily after.” The ACC also announced plans to arrest and extradite Caulker, alongside steps to dispose of his Wellington property, which investigations revealed had been falsely claimed by his father.
Reaffirming UBA’s commitment to strong corporate governance and accountability, Managing Director Mohamed Alhajie Samoura noted that the bank’s proactive disclosure of the fraud was instrumental to the successful outcome.
“This verdict validates the strength of our internal control systems and our refusal to compromise on integrity. By proactively reporting this anomaly, UBA has demonstrated that we remain a transparent institution where public funds are secure and accountability is non-negotiable,” Samoura said.
The conviction is widely seen as a strong deterrent and a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s ongoing efforts to protect public revenue and strengthen integrity within the financial sector.
