By Abubakarr Harding
The Judiciary of Sierra Leone, in a Press Release it issued on the 18th January, 2023, stated that it wishes to inform the general public that the Director of Native Consortium and Research Center, Edmund Abu Jnr. is currently before Honourable Justice Adrian Fisher J, for Contempt of Court proceedings, in accordance with the provisions of Section 120 (5) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No. 6 of 1991.
Further stated was that before being committed to the Pademba Road Correctional Center for twenty-one (21) days, Edmund Abu Jnr. was a Plaintiff in a matter between Native Consortium and Research Center and the mobile operators including the National Telecommunications Commission.
It was also included that during trial, complaints were made by lawyers for Africell and NATCOM about Edmund Abu’s conduct in harassing them by making financial demands to settle the matter out of Court. They further complained that he was on social media publishing prejudicial statements about the trial of the action.
Stated also was that the Honourable Justice Fisher later granted an Order on the 26th day of February 2021, restraining publication and comments on the case as it was sub judice.
According to the Judiciary, notwithstanding the Court Order, Edmund Abu Jnr in an apparent defiance continued to make publications on social media as well as the traditional media to impugn the credibility of the Judiciary and the Honourable Judge who was presiding on the matter. Based on the Press Release, among other things he said was that he had seen the judgment and it was in his favour which was totally untrue.
The Judiciary continued that as if that was not enough, on the day for Judgment on the said matter his absurd and disrespectful conduct in Court in the full view of other litigants and his lawyers shows his campaign of calumny were aimed at not only putting the hard-earned reputation of the presiding Judge into disrepute but a flagrant disrespect for law and order in the country.
It was added that he couldn’t also produce his own predicted judgment and so far the matter has been completed and judgment delivered against him.
Stated by the Judiciary was that, meanwhile, some comments suggest that the Judiciary had favoured mobile operators against Edmund Abu, which, according to them, is totally false and unfounded.
Also revealed was that in the course of the trial, Edmund Abu was awarded the sum of One Hundred Million Leones (Le100, 000,000.00) old notes as costs in his favour, on behalf of the 300 plaintiffs he represented.
The Judiciary of Sierra Leone affirms that it wishes it to be known that it does not arrest and detain any person “for no reason” as always it acts in accordance with the laws of Sierra Leone, in particular Section 120(1) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No 6 of 1991, which vests Judicial powers on the Judiciary of Sierra Leone.
Concluding, the Judiciary pointed out that the proceedings for Contempt of Court would be heard by Honourable Justice Fisher on the 31st January 2023 and that Edmund Abu has been served with all relevant papers for him to prepare his defence to the (10 counts) charges of Contempt of Court he faces.
