The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) notes, with serious suspicion, acts of grand corruption in the handling of court fines, levies, charges, dues or funds at the Judicial Sub-Treasury within the Judiciary Administration.

The Commission wishes is informing the general public that it has launched an investigation into the Management of such funds paid by members of the public as ordered by the various courts to staff of the Judicial Sub-Treasury.

For the purpose of the investigation, the Commission has requested all persons who have paid court fines, levies, charges, dues or funds to any staff of the Judicial Sub-Treasury in Sierra Leone from January 2014 to date, to surrender the related receipt(s) or copies, issued in respect of such payments, to the Anti-Corruption Commission on 3 Gloucester Street, Freetown, or at our Regional Offices in Bo, Kenema, Makeni and Kono with the view to facilitate the investigation.

The Commission is reassuring the general public of its commitment to fight corruption at all levels in Sierra Leone and that the public will be duly informed on the progress of the investigation.

On Thursday 21st March 2019, Word Made Flesh –Sierra Leone, a Christian non-governmental Organisation situated at 10 Mase Street in Kingtom, adjacent to the Kroo Bay community, headed by its Field Director, Ansumana Bangura, donated assorted items to some 200 kids from 150 households who were affected by the recent fire disaster that gutted over 300 houses early on the 4th March 2019,leaving thousands homeless.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Advocacy Coordinator of WMF-SL, James Metzger, disclosed that the organisation is engaged in humanitarian work and has been in operation since 2002 after the war. Initially they dealt with young victims of the war, especially women and children and in partnership with the Aberdeen Women Centre, they had engaged on sensitization of communities on the issue of abuse and other programs. He further explained that operating in close proximity to the Bay community; they turned their attention to the vulnerable group of people, especially women and children. They have been providing tutorship for school going pupils and skills training courses for some of the women at the locality.
Metzger further disclosed that because of the vulnerable groups in the community, they devoted their time and effort to offer whatever assistance they possibly can to them. In this regard, they have been paying fees for some of the pupils whose parents could not afford to do so due to unemployment. Tutorials for mathematics and English were also part of the subjects taught. He is however pleased with the reports of progress made by the kids under their tutorship attending various schools. He further explained that whilst the parents may not have the time to check on the schools to ensure that their kids are attending them, the organisation does the checking. To further improve the lives of women in the community, the organisation is engaging a number of women on skills training and has sent them to various institutions for training. All their activities have been free, he stressed.
Metzger also disclosed that the gathering at their office is to donate various items to the victims of the fire disaster of 4th March 2019. Some 150 households benefitted from the donation. Among the items donated were brassieres, pants, soap, toothbrushes, clothes and blankets, as the displaced victims are presently sleeping in the community centre at Bay and are exposed. To prevent them from getting sick, they have presented them with blankets to keep them warm at night. Mindful of the value of education, the flagship project of the President, the organisation is donating school materials to the kids, which include exercise books and shoes. For the babies, they are giving Vaseline and the Johnson Baby’s lotion to the mothers and wipes.
James Metzger further disclosed that several programs are being undertaken by the organisation to develop the abilities of the young and provide better alternatives to the vices in society. Every Saturday between the hours of 9.00am to midday, they take the kids out to the Aberdeen beach opposite the RadissonBlu car Park and engage them on games after which they are then taught the scriptures and lessons on morals.
He further maintained that during the week various tutorial classes are held with the kids on various subjects with particular emphasis on the core subjects in the schools. Some of the kids are given lunch on a daily basis to encourage them to go to school and in the process help the parents who may not be able to provide them with this encouragement.
WMF-SL is self-sponsored with help from well-meaning people both within and out of the country. He expressed appreciation to those who in diverse ways had supported them to make the aforementioned donation a reality. He is hopeful that humanitarian bodies will come on board and partner with them to make life better for the vulnerable people.
The donation which climaxed the ceremony was made by the Kroo Bay Coordinator in the organisation, Isaac Balla Bangura, to the various families and the kids, punctuated by words of appreciation from parents and guardians.

Three former workers have been helped by the Christian Lawyers Centre referred to as LEGAL LINK) to recover their end of service benefits from their employer in the tune of 70 million Leones.

It originated in 2018 when the cement factory, LEOCEM, laid off the three workers on the grounds that they had stolen properties belonging to the company while in employment.

The three workers were handed over to the Police and were later charged to court with the offences of Larceny and Conspiracy respectively.

Upon their appearance in the Magistrate Court No 2 at Ross Road they were denied bail and had to spend some days at the Pademba Road maximum prison.

Upon receipt of this matter and realizing that the allegations against the trio were falsely motivated, LEGAL LINK together with certain lawyers intervened in the matter.

After a few appearances and the inability of the prosecution to vitiate the legal burden by reason of their failure to attain the requisite standard of proof, the presiding Magistrate in his ruling dated 16th day of January 2019, stated that: ” there is absolutely no evidence pointing to the offence of Conspiracy and also no evidence linking accused persons to larceny”. The accused persons were subsequently discharged.

Motivated by this successful judgment, LEGAL LINK then proceeded to institute legal actions against Manpower Employment Agency, the sub-contracted agency of LEOCEM; which recruits casual workers on its behalf for the full payment of backlog salaries, damages for unlawful dismissal and the end of service benefits of the trio.

A formal complaint was lodged to the Ministry of Labour by LEGAL LINK on behalf of the affected former workers as a first step before filing of the writ of summons in the High Court of Sierra Leone.
The certified true copy of the order of the presiding Magistrate that discharged the trio was also sent to them for their comprehension of the malicious prosecutorial action that was brought against the erstwhile workers by the company in a bid to circumvent their financial obligations owed to them.

A letter of invitation was then sent by the Ministry of Labour to all the parties and after two successive meetings, and having fully assessed the strength and determination of LEGAL LINK to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion, the Company through its sub-contracted representative, Manpower Employment Agency Limited, made an undertaking to pay the full backlog salaries, end of service benefits and other emoluments to the trio without any reservations.

On the 13th of March 2019 at the office of LEGAL LINK, the three ex – workers received a whooping sum of 70 million Leones as backlog salaries and end of service benefit package for the number of years they had worked for the LEOCEM Company.

It was indeed a moment of tears of joy as the three casual workers could not believe what was happening before them when the money was being handed over to them by the Chief Executive Officer of LEGAL LINK.

One of them even later remarked that he never thought this was going to happen in his lifetime. “It was like a dream,” he stated.
Besides the monetary payment that was made, the Managing Director of Manpower Employment Agency apologized to the ex-workers on behalf of LEOCEM for the undue hardship and pains caused on them and asked for reconciliation and their forgiveness.

The CEO of LEGAL LINK Rashid Dumbuya Esq, on behalf of the three ex-workers thanked the representative from LEOCEM in fulfilling their undertaking but admonished them to respect the human rights of their employees going forward.

Rashid Dumbuya Esq used the occasion to also call on all companies and employers of labour in Sierra Leone to understand that the UN has endorsed a document known as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

This document according to him puts responsibilities on Companies, business corporations and multinational institutions to respect the rights of their workers, the rights of host communities where they operate and the health and safety of the environment.

He advised that LEOCEM AND ALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISES in Sierra Leone should endeavor to take a cursory look at this document and put modalities in place that will help improve on their human rights credentials and business reputation.

According to him, a business that respects the rights of its workers would enjoy good will, positive business reputation and sustainability than the one that does not.

The CEO also thanked the Ministry of Labour for their commitment in fighting for Labourers rights in Sierra Leone and for the smooth working relationship that have existed between the Ministry and LEGAL LINK.

In future, this relationship will be formalized into an MOU for better legal representation and cooperation between the Ministry of Labour and LEGAL LINK regarding labourers rights in the country , the CEO remarked.

He admonished the ex-wife to put the monies into wise investments that with benefit them and their families in the long run.

At State House four newly appointed judges of the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone subscribed to the Oath of Office before His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio in accordance with the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.

The newly appointed judges of the Supreme Court included Justice Allan B. Halloway, Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Justice Alusine Sani Sesay and Justice Manga Fana Deen Tarawally.

In his statement, Justice Halloway, who spoke on behalf of other Judges, said they were thankful to the President for according them the privilege to serve in the highest Court of the land. He said they were not only thrilled to have fulfilled their academic and professional dreams but were now, more than ever before, in the position to make ultimate contributions to the development of the nation.

“We want to assure you, His Excellency that your magnanimity is not lost upon. We will treat our appointment, as Judges of the Supreme Court, with the greatest importance it deserves. We are truly grateful and wish to extend our deepest appreciation in this regard.

“I want to assure you, His Excellency that we are fully aware that when we as Judges of the Supreme Court put on our judicial robes it serves as a reminder of what is expected of us: impartiality, boldness and courage. We promise to uphold the law and dispense justice without fear or favor as we ensure Unity, Freedom and Justice for all,” he said.

In his response, President Bio congratulated the new Judges, saying that they had been meticulously chosen and that society was looking up to them because so much was expected of them in the pursuit of making Sierra Leone a better place for everyone.

“We know the enormity of the task ahead and when I made the pledge that Sierra Leone will be a better place, I did so on behalf of many well-meaning Sierra Leoneans like you. So, with your appointment, I expect that you will join us, while keeping your independence, in moving in the New Direction to make Sierra Leone an enviable place,” he said.

On the 20th March 2019 a high-level delegation from the West African Examination Council, WAEC briefed His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio at State House, on the Council’s ongoing 67th Annual Meeting in Freetown.

Chairman of the Council, Baboucarr Bouy, said they were happy about meeting the President despite his busy schedules and expressed appreciation to the Government for hosting the 67th Session in Sierra Leone, saying that without the Government’s support the Meeting would not have been possible.

He recalled that during their last meeting with the President they spoke about concerns from both Government and the Council regarding the issue of integrity around the conduct of public examinations. He further disclosed that the Council had mobilized the necessary resources and manpower that would enable them to conduct the examinations in a manner that would maintain the integrity of the Council, the governing body and certifying authority of public examinations in West Africa.

Mr. Bouy also re-emphasized that they were poised to continue ensuring leakage and malpractice free examinations. He, however, expressed fears about the challenges the Council faced with the new technology, which they must be ready to handle, adding that even though they helped in the conduct of examinations, the new technologies were also presenting challenges in a way that resources meant to be spent in other areas were being deployed to avoid potentials of malpractices.

“I want to remind Your Excellency Sir that we have raised the issue of financial resources to WAEC and we are happy to inform that the Government of Sierra Leone has started to take action and we want to further appeal that you use your office to help us deal with this. The new technology that is actually presenting big challenges to the examinations is what is responsible for the high cost on the running of our examinations,” he said.

On his part, President Bio thanked the management of the Council for their efforts in keeping the sub-region ahead in terms of education. He said his government’s flagship programme was human capital development of which free quality education was an important component. He said the integrity of examinations was very important and that his Government was happy to host the 67th Annual Meeting.

“For us, the integrity of our examinations is very paramount and you are directly in charge of that. So, you have a role to play. We want to assure you that whatever we can do, to support WAEC to make sure that the integrity of our examinations is maintained, we will do. We have to make sure we continue to work hard and provide the best quality education for our children.

“Of course, there are challenges with technology but those are challenges that we should try to surmount because they are going to keep increasing as new technologies are coming up every day. So, we have to chase them as quickly as possible otherwise they will affect the quality of examinations and education,” he urged.

During the auspicious opening ceremony of the 15th Biennial General Meeting, 24th Scientific Session and the 39th Council Meeting of the West African College of Nursing held at the Freetown Bintumani Conference hall, Her Excellency Madam Fatima Maada Bio was conferred upon, a Honorary Fellow Membership of the West African College of Nursing, as a result of her hard work and dedication to the empowerment of women and girls in Sierra Leone and her delivery drive that is result based, thereby leading by example as a robust and active First Lady.

In accepting the Honor bestowed upon her as a Honorary Fellow of the West African College of Nursing, Her Excellency Madam Fatima Maada Bio recognized the sacrifices and dedication of nurses in Sierra Leone, stating that the work they do, cannot go unnoticed, and one worth emulating. Nurses, she underscored are the back bone of health care delivery.

Her Excellency, furthermore, disclosed her admiration for the noble Nursing Profession, highlighting their tenacity and dedication to human service, as she has seen their bravery and passion when Sierra Leone was faced with the Ebola epidemic and mudslide disaster respectively.

Madam Fatima Maada Bio pledged her unflinching support to the agenda of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio in improving Health Care system in Sierra Leone, while her office is open to work with institutions involved in improving the face of Nursing and Midwifery not only in Sierra Leone, but West Africa at large, as she strongly believes the popular saying that “Nurses does it best”.

The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) on Wednesday 20th March 2019 In an effort to solicit sustained support on road safety campaign, engaged senior media practitioners in a one day dialogue forum.

The event was held at the Harry Yansaneh Hall SLAJ Headquarters at Campbell Street in Freetown, and brought together over 30 Managing Editors of Newspapers and 15 radio station managers across the country with representative from WIMSAL, SLAJ and Reporters Union.

In his presentation, Mr. David Panda-Noah, Executive Director of SLRSA said the institution was established by an Act of Parliament in 1996 to regulate the transport sector, also as the lead agency to promote Road Safety in Sierra Leone. He said the Authority has established thirteen (13) offices nationwide and is in the process of establishing more in other major towns and locations in the country. To achieve its mandate, he said, the SLRSA introduced Road Safety Corps on the road to enforce laws relating to road safety and to provide road safety education.

Mr. Panda-Noah said Road Safety refers to the method and measures used to prevent Road users from being KILLED or INJURED on the road. Road users include: pedestrians, cyclist, motorists, and passengers. He furthered that Road Safety is one of the most pressing challenges facing human and economic development. Noting that traffic crashes are the number one killer of people ages between 15-29 and in less than a generation, road crashes are expected to become the world’s seventh cause of death.

Mr. Panda-Noah said while road safety education has primarily been the responsibility of government in the past, limited resources have made it challenging to communicate the importance of key issues consistently and effectively. But it is not government alone that benefits from reducing traffic incidents. The benefit goes to everybody in the society from journalists, business executives, politicians, farmers etc.

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists has lost several colleagues from road traffic crashes over the years. The most recent was Hon. Frank Kposowa, a former president of SLAJ who died in a gruesome crash along the Freetown – Bo highway. Few months ago, in October 2018, about 16 gallant and brave soldiers of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) lost their lives in what he named the most gruesome road crash in the history of the RSLAF. The Spur road – Lumley Roundabout crash claimed the live of a lady call SONIA a staff of Crown Bakery, and another one that happened at Ferry Junction East of Freetown that left a 15 year old secondary school boy legs amputated

“Reports on Road Safety requires more than a passing fatality with the driving statistics of an area or region”. He said. He called on journalists dig beneath the numbers to understand the complex interplay of the many factors that ultimately lead to a road traffic fatality.

The International Federation of Social Workers declared 19th March as World Social Work Day to celebrate the achievements of the profession and take the theme for that year into active practice, by a way of disseminating it to their communities, workplaces and to Government so they will see the need to raising awareness towards the contributions social work has impacted in society and the need for further action to be taken.

As a first year student at Fourah Bay College (USL) who is in the department of Sociology and Social Work and a Youth and Children Advocate, I will like to use Sierra Leone as a case study to reflect on what we have achieved in enhancing the well-being of human development and promoting the importance of Human Relationship. The Country has moved from eleven (11) years bloody civil war, to Ebola Outbreak, Mudslide, Flooding and Bad Leadership which are key factors responsible for the backwardness of the Country.

A Country with over thousands of organizations both local and international that do complement the efforts of government in providing an enabling environment for its citizens, but yet still we have numerous challenges facing the development of our nation. We have countless people who go to bed with an empty stomach, people that can’t access clean water and sanitation, people that can’t access good toilet facilities, children living in the streets, physically challenged people find it difficult to interpret the Disability Act of 2012 and women and girls living under suppression of domestic abuse and sexual exploitation.

Poverty and job creation have been some of the most challenging issues in the history of Sierra Leone. Social workers are providing services to less privileged people across the country, advocating for the right and welfare of people, some are serving as brokers, while others are serving in different capacities in ensuring that they uphold the ethical values of social work.

Sierra Leone has laws, policies and institutions but one of our major challenges as a nation is how to enforce these laws. Our systems are slow when it comes to enforcement and implementations but nevertheless we have lot to do as a nation in improving our human capital, thanks to the President H.E. Julius Maada Bio’s led government for the Free Quality Education and National Deceleration of State of Emergency on Rape and Sexual Violence. Even though there are lot to do in terms of sustainability and monitoring process of all these we are looking forward to the establishment of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion that will bring different tribes, religions and cultural backgrounds together to build and re-brand the vision of our beloved nation, Sierra Leone.

These are my recommendations to the Government of Sierra Leone and its Development Partners;

1. Law Enforcement: Through the support of our donor partners or the tax payers’ money; let the government enforce the laws that protect the rights of women, girls and children so that they can live to their fullest potentials.

2. Strengthening Institutions: Government should strengthen weak institution that are not fulfilling their mandate, support active institutions to carry out their mandate, organize capacity building training for institution dealing with the well-being of its citizens. Examples; Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Afffais, National Commission for Children, National Commission for Person’s with Disabilities, Family Support Units etc.

3. Review of Laws: With support from partners or tax payers’ money, government should review laws that defend the rights of the vulnerable people, especially the Sexual Offences Act 2012, which has loop holes that have allowed perpetrators to escape sentence. In reviewing this act (SOA 2012) the law will take it full course, no perpetrator of rape or sexual violence can be sentenced for seventy two (72) hours.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation: Government should monitor institutions to ensure that services provided for the vulnerable people are accessible, client’s needs are met and their issues are taken into consideration.

5. Withdrawal of Certificate: Government through the Office of the President, Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Councils should withdraw certificate from organization(s) that embezzles donor funding without implementation or otherwise go against the code of practice of the said laws that regulates their work. Proper report should be presented to registered institution(s) for proper verification at the end of every year to ensure that funding received from donor partners is reached to their clients.

At the Commission of Inquiry presided over by Justice Bankole Thompson the Director of Crops at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Henry Kargbo, testified that the reason for the procurement of the 250,000 bags fertilizer was to increase rice and vegetable production and productivity in the country.
“The reason I wanted NPK 0-20-20 was that the initial take of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security was to increase rice production and productivity of especially vegetables, with the intention to reduce importation of those goods and control foreign exchange,” he said.
Director Kargbo was responding to cross-examination by Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya, who is representing the former Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, Professor Monti P. Jones, as person of interest.
He told the Commission of Inquiry that from day one, he had indicated in his technical advice that for better rice production and productivity, the Ministry should procure NPK 0-20-20, NPK 15-15-15 and urea 40% fertilizer.
He furthered that he started working at the Ministry since 1986, but that he could not recall if at any point in time the Ministry had procured NPK 20-20-20 fertilizer.
He promised to help the Commission with the database of fertilizer procurement by the Ministry from 1996 to date.
Director Henry Kargbo, who was led by State Prosecutor Robert B. Kowa, testified before the Commission that he had advised the procurement officer to procure NPK 0-20-20-20, but that they went ahead and procured NPK 20-20-20.
He said his duties include tohelp formulate and ensure the implementation of policies in the crop sector, as well as coordinate and supervise crop activities nationwide.
He said he also carry out functions delegated to him by the Executive Management Committee (EMC) of the Ministry.
He said as Director of Crops, he was not part of the EMC during the procurement of the fertilizer in 2016, but that in 2017 and 2018, he served as Secretary to the EMC after he was promoted to Deputy Chief Agriculture Officer.
The Director continued that the EMC was established after the assumption of office by the former Minister of Agriculture, Professor Monti P. Jones, and that it was serving as an oversight committee for the entire Ministry.
He said the EMC approved major decisions for the infective and efficient running of the Ministry, as it was the highest decision making body in the Ministry.
He narrated that in 2016 and 2017, the Ministry purchased three types of fertilizer, including Urea, NPK 0-20-20 and NPK 15-15-15, and that he was once asked by the procurement officer to provide types and specification of fertilizer they were to procure.
He said before the procurement officer approached him for the specification, the EMC chaired by the Minister had come up with a flagship programme to increase production and productivity of rice and other crops, which required the use of fertilizer.
He said the idea was discussed by the EMC and that a decision was reached at for the purchase of two hundred and fifty thousand bags of fertilizer.
He said in his capacity as Director of Crops, he provided specification and types of fertilizer in written.
He admitted that the Directorate of Crops was part of the procurement committee, but that he can’t tell if the Chief Agriculture Officer was also part of the committee, noting that he was only invited when there were procurement issues relating to crops.
He said he had attended meetings of procurement relating to crops and members at that meeting were normally the Permanent Secretary, the Chief Agriculture Officer, the Chief Accountant, the Directorate or representative of Crops, the Procurement Officer and sometimes a representative from the Ministry of Finance.
He further told the Commission that it was not the responsibility of the end-user to conduct market price survey on fertilizer, but that he only provided the type and specification of fertilizer to be procured.
He noted that he never prepared or initiated any procurement recitation for the procurement of the two hundred and fifty thousand bags of fertilizer.
He recognized certain documents-invitation to various bidders for the supply of the fertilizer and that he was copied, but that he had problem with the specification of NPK 20-20-20, because the one he had advised on was NPK 0-20-20.
He said the Manager of one of the bidders- Balsam Enterprises-had written a letter to the Ministry, requesting clarification on the specification of that fertilizer.
He added that he was copied and he recalled replying to the letter that the specification should be NPK 0-20-20 and not NPK 20-20-20.
He also identified a valuation report document, whic, he said was prepared by the Ministry but that he was not part of the valuation team, whose report was approved on 19th July, 2016.
He said the type of fertilizer contained in the valuation report corresponded to the executive clearance of former President Ernest Bai Koroma