Former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and former Speaker of Sierra Leone’s Parliament, Rt. Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, has formally called for an investigation into what he describes as a serious allegation involving the use of official documentation to facilitate a United States visa application in his name during his tenure as Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament in 2023.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and dated 3 September 2026, Tunis revealed that concerns emerged during a visa interview at the United States Embassy in Freetown.
According to him, a Consular Officer questioned him about one Chapator Bah, who was allegedly granted a U.S. visa in 2023 as the Executive Assistant to the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament. Tunis stated that he was informed the visa request had reportedly been made using the same Note Verbale associated with his own official travel documentation.
Tunis further disclosed that the interview suggested his visa refusal may have been linked to allegations that the said individual travelled to the United States under that designation and allegedly failed to return to Sierra Leone.
Describing the matter as deeply troubling, the former ECOWAS Speaker said the allegation not only affects his personal reputation and integrity but also has implications for Sierra Leone’s image and that of the ECOWAS Parliament.
He made three key assertions in his letter:
He never had an Executive Assistant by the name of Chapator Bah during his tenure as Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.
He does not know, and has never known, anyone by that name who travelled to the United States under such circumstances.
He considers the allegation extremely serious because of its potential impact on his reputation and on the credibility of institutions he once represented.
Consequently, Tunis formally requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to launch an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issuance of a Note Verbale that allegedly supported a U.S. visa application for Chapator Bah in the capacity of Executive Assistant to the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament in 2023.
He also warned that if the matter remains unresolved within seven working days of the Ministry’s receipt of the letter, he would consider instituting legal proceedings in an effort to clear his name from the allegations.
Copies of the correspondence were sent to several high-ranking officials and institutions, including the Speaker of Parliament, the Secretary to the President, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Leader of Government Business, the Leader of the Opposition, and the United States Ambassador.
The development comes amid growing public attention surrounding allegations of misuse of official travel and visa-related documentation. Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the establishment of an internal committee to investigate allegations relating to the possible misuse of official ministry documents in visa applications. The Ministry stated that any unauthorized use of official documentation or breach of procedures, if established, would attract appropriate administrative or legal action.
Questions surrounding the integrity of official travel documentation have surfaced periodically in Sierra Leone, with past investigations by anti-corruption authorities and international partners highlighting concerns over document misuse and fraudulent travel facilitation.
As attention now shifts to the outcome of the Ministry’s investigation, the case is likely to raise broader questions about accountability, document security, institutional oversight, and the protection of Sierra Leone’s diplomatic credibility.