FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — The head of the Sierra Leone soccer federation has been acquitted of corruption charges, opening the way for FIFA to lift an international ban on the West African country. Sierra Leone soccer association president Isha Johansen, a popular figure at FIFA, and secretary general Chris Kamara were acquitted because of a lack of evidence nearly two years after first being charged. They had been accused by the Sierra Leone government’s anti-corruption commission of misappropriation of money and abuse of office. FIFA suspended Sierra Leone from international soccer in October and the country was disqualified from the qualifying competition for the African Cup. Johansen sits on the African soccer body’s executive committee.

Source: National Post May 28, 2019 08:43 UTC