by FSL News | 9 Sep, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The President of the SLFA Isha Johansen was released on bail from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Thursday night after a night in detention.
Johansen’s arrest and detention came just after the Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) started Operation Thunderbolt, which is aimed at intensifying their fight against corruption.
The Commission also stated that they have been investigating the management of funds received by the SLFA since February.
Several reports in Freetown have confirmed that the other two SLFA officials Brima Mazola Kamara (Vice President) and Christopher Kamara (Secretary General) are still in custody because they are yet to meet their bail conditions.
A Fifa spokesperson told footballsierraleone.net on Wednesday that they are yet to receive any official confirmation, however, they are monitoring the situation.
“At the time of writing, we haven’t received any official information we are therefore not in a position to comment. We will monitor the Situation.”
The country’s Football FA is yet to release any statement on the present development.
According to several reports, earlier, armed police and officials from the Anti-Corruption commission raided the football FA’s secretariat and took away documents of interest to help their ongoing investigations.
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by FSL News | 8 Sep, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The World’s football governing body, Fifa has exclusively told footballsierraleone.net that they are “monitoring the situation concerning the arrest of the three top Sierra Leone soccer officials”, answering a request by this website following last Wednesday arrest and detention.
The governing body of the sport has Sierra Leone very close within its sights after the SLFA boss Isha Johansen, vice-president Brima Kamara, and the FA General Secretary were arrested on Wednesday by the Anti-Corruption Commission and later detained at the Criminal investigation Department (CID) in Freetown.
A Fifa spokesperson said: “At the time of writing, we haven’t received any official information we are therefore not in a position to comment. We will monitor the Situation.”
Meanwhile, the three arrested persons could be released today if they meet the bail conditions of two sureties and a title deed.
All three arrested persons denied any wrongdoing.
According to the public education and outreach officer of the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission Patrick Sandy, the commission has been investigating the management of funds received by the SLFA since February.
Federation officials have repeatedly declined to respond to inquiries from the commission, insisting that they are exempt from government jurisdiction and answer only to FIFA.
“The ACC is not a political institution,” Sandy said. “It is an independent body not subjected to political interference.”
Sandy did not specify what aspect of funding the commission was investigating.
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by FSL News | 7 Sep, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
SLFA President Isha Johansen and former FIFA boss in Photo
The President of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), Isha Johansen has been picked up by agents of the anti-corruption body in Sierra Leone.
Confirming the arrest, according to sources in Freetown is the Chair of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Ardy Macauley.
The ACC announced on Wednesday the start of “Operation Thunderbolt” which aims to “rout and bring to justice” people alleged to have been involved in corrupt acts and have been under the watch of the anti-graft agency.
Football Sierra Leone understands Johansen, 51, who was elected president of the Sierra Leone Football Association unopposed on 3 August 2013, was arrested together with the FA’s Vice-President Brima Mazola Kamara and Secretary General Chris Kamara.
Johansen’s arrest came a day after returning from Ivory Coast where she attended the Leone Stars Africa Cup of Nation’s 2017 final qualifying match last Saturday at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake, Ivory Coast.
The arrested persons have been detained for alleged misappropriation of funds at the CID headquarter in Freetown.
Officials of the football’s FA are unavailable to comment.
We will endeavour to bring out more on this development as we get them.
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by FSL News | 6 Sep, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
Former Neftchi Baku attacking midfielder Julius Gibrilla Wobay says he has no plans of retiring yet and he plans to carry on playing for Sierra Leone.
Wobay, 32, who won Slovenian PrvaLiga last season with Olimpija Ljubljana following his one and a half year deal in January 2016 with Slovenian Champions is ready to continue playing.
The former East End Lions attacker made his international debut for Sierra Leone in the 2002 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Liberia in a match played in the Liberian capital of Monrovia.
Speaking to Football Sierra Leone Wobay said he still planned on participating in competitive matches for his country.
“I have made a decision, this is not my last season for my country, he said.
Wobay who played for 80th mins in the 1-1 draw against Cote d Ivoire last Saturday at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake is not sure about when or how soon he will hang his international boots.
“Football is not about age but the experience so I don’t see myself quitting the national team as I believe I have more to give,” he reiterated to footballsierraleone.net whiles boarding his flight from Abidjan to the UK.
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by FSL News | 5 Sep, 2016 | International, National Sport News Sierra Leone
The 2015 Nations Cup winners qualified after drawing twice against Sierra Leone.
It was a hard-fought 1-1 draw against a resilient Leone Stars side at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake on Saturday that cleared the title-holders to defend their crown in Gabon next year.
No goal line technology and no replay – Sierra Leoneans were left crying foul after Kei Kamara’s last minute header was off the Ivorians goal-line in stoppage time.
The Ivorians celebrated the result on and off the pitch as they held on to the draw to squeeze into the 2017 continental big stage.
Les Elephants head coach Frenchman Michel Dussuyer said he was “satisfied” with the result but not the way his side played on Saturday.
”We can be satisfied because of the result, but we cannot be proud of our work,” Michel Dussuyer said during his post-match conference.
The 57-year-old reiterated “Let us just be satisfied with this qualification because we reached our goal.
“The positive is that we made it, but at the last minute the sky almost fell on our heads.”
Ivory Coast qualified for a seventh straight Cup of Nations by winning Group I with six points.
(Photo: Ivory Coast’s Marc Goua (right) fights for the ball with Sierra Leone’s Kwame Quee at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake September 3, 2016. — AFP pic)
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