RAIC Fines Corporate Affairs Commission NLe 80,000 for Delayed Response to FOI Request

September 30, 2024

The Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) has fined the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) NLe 80,000 for failing to respond to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request within the required timeframe.

The fine was imposed after the CAC violated the Right to Access Information Act of 2013 and the 2022 regulations that govern information requests. Eleanor Thompson submitted an FOI request on June 18, 2024, seeking various documents, including financial statements and records from the Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) filed with the CAC between March 2023 and May 2024. She also requested evidence of the SLBA’s Annual General Meeting, which the CAC claimed to possess.

By law, public bodies must respond to FOI requests within 15 working days, but the CAC missed this deadline. After receiving no response, Thompson filed for a review on July 10, 2024. Despite further communication from the RAIC, the CAC continued to delay its response, leading to the fine.

The RAIC ruled that the CAC had violated the law by not providing the requested information in a timely manner and ordered the release of the documents. The CAC has been informed of its right to appeal the decision.

This case highlights the importance of adhering to transparency laws and ensuring citizens’ right to access public information.