Government Officials Enable Illegal Mansions in Sierra Leone’s National Park, Jeopardizing Vital Resources

When public officials betray the trust placed in them, both people and nature pay the price. In Sierra Leone, a government-commissioned investigation exposes a disturbing reality: senior officials have not only turned a blind eye to illegal construction of luxury mansions inside the Western Area Peninsula National Park but actively facilitated it by issuing land leases. This national park serves as an invaluable environmental buffer for Freetown, providing clean water to 90% of its residents through the nearby reservoir, yet its destruction continues unabated. Why Is Powerful Corruption Fueling Environmental Chaos in Sierra Leone? The investigation—kept from public view for...