By Josephine Sesay

The Lake Group of Companies SL Ltd has announced the immediate dismissal of Ms. Esther Y. Kamara from her position as Executive Director of Miss Freetown Beauty Pageant (MFBP) SL Limited following a thorough two-month investigation into financial misconduct. The investigation, conducted under the leadership of Kamara Musa Mark, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LAKE Group, uncovered that Kamara embezzled a total of 52,888,000 old Leones from the funds raised during the 2024 Miss Freetown Beauty Pageant event.

According to the findings, Kamara was solely responsible for mismanaging substantial funds sourced from various sponsors and revenue streams. These included contributions from notable sponsors such as UBA, Orange, Gulama, BnB, Grafton, Banja, and KAF, as well as ticket sales from gate, voting, and audition forms. Most shockingly, the investigation revealed that Kamara transferred 20,000,000 Leones from Orange SL Limited’s sponsorship directly into her personal Orange Money account without authorization.

Musa Kamara, the COO of LAKE Group, emphasized the severity of the situation. “The financial reports and the 2024 MFBP budget plan indicate that the total event expenses amounted to Le 259,330, which led to a shortfall of Le 52,888,” Kamara said. “Ms. Kamara is required to repay the misappropriated funds within 48 hours. Failure to do so will result in immediate legal action through the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to recover the stolen amount.”

In addition to her dismissal, Kamara is obligated to return all company property and sever all ties with the LAKE Group and Miss Freetown Beauty Pageant within 48 hours. The management of LAKE Group, led by COO Musa A. Kamara, has called for full cooperation to resolve this issue swiftly.

To ensure the continuity of the Miss Freetown event, the Board of Directors has appointed Esther Moi Tarawally, a Big Sister finalist and reality TV star, as the new Executive Director of the pageant. Tarawally’s appointment is seen as a significant step toward reinforcing the organization’s commitment to transparency, financial integrity, and the values that have defined the event over the years.

The LAKE Group has also confirmed that the 2025 Miss Freetown Beauty Pageant will take place on December 14, 2025, at the Bintumani International Auditorium, and organizers are focused on ensuring that this prestigious event remains a symbol of excellence and accountability.

This incident underscores the importance of maintaining financial integrity and accountability in all areas of corporate governance, particularly within organizations that handle significant public and sponsor funds.