By: Patrick Hinga George, Public Education Officer – Anti-Corruption Commission
While some men train to become leaders, others are born for it; but only a few are chosen naturally to stand as soldiers in the greatest wars of our time: the fight against injustice. Francis Ben Kaifala is not merely a public servant but a battlefield General in the war for justice and an unshakable, unbribable and undeniable force of moral reckoning.
Long before he wore the robes of a lawyer or the mantle of Commissioner, young Francis encountered a book that would forever etch his destiny into his consciousness: “The Incorruptible Judge” by James Ene Henshaw. The book presents a judge so devoted to truth that neither bribery nor intimidation could distort his moral compass. It was more than a story! It was prophecy.
The author’s message was clear: when justice stands alone, the world still has hope. That fictional judge was a mirror held up to the face of a young boy, revealing the path ahead. That path was not just about law but about fighting injustice at every turn.
With fierce determination, Kaifala went on to produce the best WASSCE Arts stream result in the country, earning him entrance into the prestigious Fourah Bay College (FBC). There, he would blaze through academic ranks with the brilliance of a thousand minds, graduating as the best student and later topping the Sierra Leone Law School, a rare feat few can replicate.
At FBC, destiny struck Kaifala again as he was invited to join a group whose ideology centered on confronting and dismantling injustice in society. While he did not join that unnamed group, this very invitation was a natural confirmation of his thirstiness for justice already seeping from his pores. Soon after he aligned with the Auradicals Club, a group known for its fierce stance against injustice and oppression as a comrade, it became glaringly evident: he was not just studying justice but was born to fight for it.
In the courtroom, Kaifala’s presence is thunderous, his voice a natural boom of command, his physique; a statue of discipline and his intellect; a razor sharp and battle-tested. No wonder those within the legal corridors call him a “Field Marshall” and not just any Field Marshall, but one specially molded for the battlefield of justice. The kind that doesn’t blink when power is in the dock and one, whose mere presence unsettles falsehood.
In 2018, he was appointed as the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), becoming not only the youngest Anti-Graft Commissioner in the world at the time but also, the longest-serving in Sierra Leone’s history. His appointment was not met with applause but with jubilation. Sierra Leoneans already knew who he was: “The People’s Commissioner” and he did not disappoint.
Since taking office, Ben Kaifala has led an unprecedented anti-corruption crusade that has transformed Sierra Leone’s accountability landscape. He has recovered over 76 billion Leones in stolen public funds, assets, an achievement that speaks to both strategic resolve and institutional strength.
Under his leadership, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has maintained a conviction rate of over 90%, a record unmatched in the nation’s anti-graft history. Kaifala also spearheaded the landmark 2019 Amendment to the Anti-Corruption Act, which significantly enhanced the Commission’s strength in fighting corruption with a more decisive action, making it high risk venture with no returns.
Fearless in the face of power, he has challenged impunity at the highest levels, including former head of state and powerful public officials, firmly proving that no one is above the law. Yet, his fight is not against individuals; it is a bold and relentless stand against the systems, structures and spirits of injustice.
The world has taken notice! Francis Ben Kaifala now stands tall not merely as a national icon, but as an international Field Marshall in the global war for accountability and transparency. His leadership extends beyond Sierra Leone’s borders, resonating across Africa and the world. He previously served as President of the Network of Anti-Corruption Institutions in West Africa (NACIWA) and currently serves as a Board Member of the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUABC) and a Member of the Commonwealth Africa Anti-Corruption Centre Advisory Council. His voice now echoes across continental summits, global anti-corruption forums and high-level policy dialogues that shape reform beyond national boundaries.
Decorated, celebrated and unshaken, Kaifala has amassed an extraordinary array of national and international accolades that reflect both his integrity and relentless dedication. Among them are the prestigious Africa’s Voice for Accountability Award, presented at the UK House of Lords during the 15th African Achievers Awards in 2025; the International Anti-Corruption Champion recognition by the U.S. State Department in 2021; and his selection as an Obama Africa Leader by the Obama Foundation in 2019. He was named West Africa’s Young Person of the Year, Sierra Leone’s Public Servant of the Year and one of the Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) under 40 in 2021. His influence has been endorsed by the United Nations and he was honored with MIPAD’s Most Influential Africa Award in 2023. He is also a double recipient of the Top 100 Young Africans Award in both 2019 and 2024. In recognition of his bold stance on education integrity, he received the Education Champion National Award in 2023. His national legacy was further immortalized through the Bai Bureh Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024 and the Medrans Media Award in the same year for his impact on domestic accountability. His shelf may struggle to carry the weight of these honors but as a FIELD MARSHELL, his shoulders do not.
This article was never meant to merely inform but crafted to provoke, stir the soul and awaken the silent warrior within every reader who ever doubted that justice could still triumph in a corrupt world.
These words are not decoration but declaration, that in a time when integrity is rare, there still walks among us a man whose life thunders against injustice, whose every action is a rebuke to corruption and whose name has become a rallying cry for those who dare to believe that justice is not dead.
This is not fiction! This is Commissioner Francis Ben Kaifala Esq: A Soldier Chosen Naturally to Fight Against Injustice.
