Sidie Mohamed Tunis has called for an urgent investigation into an alleged 2023 United States visa request made in his name and involving a person identified as Chabatan Bah.
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Tunis, a former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and Sierra Leone People’s Party Member of Parliament for Pujehun District, said he did not know or employ Bah, who was reportedly presented to the United States Embassy in Freetown as his Executive Assistant.
The alleged request was contained in a Note Verbale reportedly transmitted by Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to the embassy in 2023. The communication allegedly sought visas for Tunis and Bah.
Tunis denies knowing alleged assistant
On September 3, 2026, Tunis strongly denied that Bah had ever worked for him. He said the person had not served as his Executive Assistant during his time as Leader of Government Business in Sierra Leone’s Parliament or while he led the ECOWAS Parliament.
“I have never employed anyone for that role. In fact, this name is strange to me. I am hearing this name for the first time. I am even wondering whether this so-called Executive Assistant is a male or a female. I don’t know this person,” Tunis said.
He is seeking answers from the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on who prepared or facilitated the alleged correspondence, how his name was used, who authorized the request and whether established procedures were followed.
Visa allegations remain unverified
Sources cited in connection with the matter alleged that Bah was issued a United States visa, travelled to the United States and did not return to Sierra Leone. That account had not been independently verified at the time of the report.
Tunis was reportedly informed by the United States Embassy in Freetown that he did not qualify for a visa to travel to the United States. The embassy spokesperson declined to discuss the individual case.
“We do not comment on individual visa applications,” the spokesperson said.
The identity of anyone who may have prepared, facilitated or authorized the alleged visa request has not been established. It also remains unclear whether Tunis’s identity or official position was improperly used.
No public response from Foreign Ministry
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation had not publicly responded to the allegations or Tunis’s request by press time.
Tunis was reportedly included on the official Government of Sierra Leone delegation scheduled to travel to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. The report did not establish whether the alleged visa matter affected that planned delegation.
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