Sierra Leone Invokes Heavily Armed Soldiers To Protect COI Judges After Robbery Incident

July 28, 2019

The National Security Coordinator, Brig (Rtd) Jah Tucker says the Military Aid to Civil Power (MAC-P) has been invoked to cover the residence of each of the three judges presiding over the three commissions of inquiry (COI) investigating corrupt former government officials.

Tucker, who heads the Office of National Security (ONS), told journalists that the strand of Mac-P invoked was the “standing” one and not the”emergency”one.

This means soldiers have now taken over the NASSIT Estate residence of the Nigerian, Ghanaian and Sierra Leonean judges who are investigating allegations of corruption under the administration of former president Ernest Bai Koroma.

It follows a burglary at the housing unit of Justice Biobele Georgewill in the early hours of Monday, with thieves carting away his laptop and an external hard drive.

There was another attack on the following day just a few buildings down the street on the home of a presidential adviser, Dr John Tambi, which shares fence with another judge at the Commission of Inquiry. Two laptops and files were also stolen.

Justice Georgewill himself has remained defiant. Resuming work yesterday for the first time since the attack on his residence, the Nigerian judge vowed to move on with vigor to conclude his assignment in the country.

“It is time to move on with greater vigor to take the work of the Commission to its legal logical conclusion, God being my helper,” he said in a statement issued to the press.

In the statement, he thanked Sierra Leoneans from the President to the Vice President and various heads of institutions “for the overwhelming show of concern”and assurances for his safety and security for the remaining days of his stay in the country.

Already investigations on the incident are ongoing, with the police having placed a Le10 Million reward for information leading to any successful prosecution of the culprit.

The COI was instituted in January this year as a result of the recommendations of the Governance Transition Team report in 2018.

Justice Geeorgewill who has been in the country since then, is dealing with some of the most sensitive cases in the commission; these include inquiries into the Ministry of Youths, Ebola funds, unsecured bank loans, Petroleum Directorate and many more.

Some of those cases can directly tie former President, Ernest Bai Koroma and most of his ministers to corrupt practices.

Last week the Nigerian judge opened an inquiry into the Ministry of Sports and Ministry of Trade and Industry. And next week he will be wrapping up inquiries into Ministry of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Health, Mines and Mineral Resources, Petroleum Directorate and Sierra Leone Commercial Bank.

Mob Torch Gambia’s Anti-crime Boss’s Home

July 28, 2019

The Serekunda home of The Gambia’s leading anti-crime police officer has been set ablaze by an unruly mob angry over the reported death of a detainee.

A crowd of angry youth early on Wednesday set fire to Inspector Gorrgui Mboom’s house in Ebotown, 12km south of Banjul as word filtered through that a detainee had died while under the custody of the Police Intervention Unit.

Inspector Mboob and members of his family were not home at the time of the incident.

There has been no independent verification of the reported death in PIU custody of the detainee who was said to be a Sierra Leonean trader.

The outside and inside of Inspector Mboob’s building were vandalized and looked charred as burnt debris lay strewn on the tiled floor of the compound.

A detachment of helmeted PIU personnel has since been deployed to the scene where calm is reported to have been restored.

Meanwhile scores of demonstrators have been arrested by Gambian paramilitaries after a protest against the area council in Brikama, 35km south of the capital.

The protest was called over poor services by the Brikama Area Council (BAC) to the community.

Witnesses spoke of demonstrators being chased, beaten with batons, teargassed and frogmarched into custody by anti-riot police.

Most shops in the Brikama market were forced to close down amidst the unrest.

Sierra Leone Chief Justice, LAB to Launch Judicial Week

July 28, 2019

Chief Justice of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards (center)

The Chief Justice of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards has revealed plans to launch the Judicial Week from the 17 – 20 September 2019 in collaboration with Legal Aid Board (LAB).

During this period, those who have been in correctional centers for a long period – sometimes for years – will have their cases heard by Judges identified for purposes of the Judicial Week. This will include inmates who have indictments but not on trial, those without indictments and those cases of long adjournment. The Chief Justice explained that a key reason for the week is to clean up correctional centers across the country.

The Honorable Chief Justice made this disclosure at a meeting with the leadership of the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board and the Sierra Leone Correctional Service in the conference room in his Chamber on 23 July 2019.

The Chief Justice further revealed that other sections of the High Court will not sit during this period. This is because High Court Judges who preside over these courts will be busy with the Judicial Week. According to the Chief Justice, 13 courtrooms will be available for use. He disclosed that emergency civil matters in the Civil Jurisdiction of the High Court will be heard at the Fast Track Court.

He said that the Correctional Service will have to compile, in good time, the list of inmates whose cases will be heard. He added that this should be done by the next meeting on 5 August 2019.

The Chief Justice said he will be meeting with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution and the Sierra Leone Police to discuss plans for the Judicial Week and also what is expected of them. This will mean the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution will have to file indictments for all inmates without one, prior to the commencement of the Week.

He said he hopes to have the Judicial Week every year. He explained that the idea is to ensure those who have been in correctional centers for long time, but have no case to answer, do not continue to suffer.

The Executive Director of the Legal Aid Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles welcomed the initiative by the Chief Justice and assured him that the Board will provide legal representation to all inmates who will be brought before the Courts. The described the inmates concerned as clients of the Board whose plights have been brought to the attention of the Chief Justice and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution in the past. She drew attention to a nationwide assessment of correctional centers carried out by the Board which found out that there are 196 inmates without indictments for the period 2016 to date.

The Chief Justice pointed out that the Prison Courts will continue to sit notwithstanding the Judicial Week. In her response, Ms. Carlton-Hanciles expressed concern about these courts which sit within the confines of the correctional centers because they are not considered to be a proper court. ‘These cases should be heard once and for all in an open court so as to not only serve the ends of justice but to also save time and money on the part of the state,’ she said.

He also seized the opportunity to discuss steps being taken to address the issue of jurors which is causing serious delays in the trial of capital offences. He revealed that he will be writing to the Chief Immigration Officer and the head of the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) on this matter. He noted that there will be a proper juror service by next year. He added that there is a large pool of employees in the public service who can serve as jurors. Another issue that will be addressed is allowance for jurors.

Sierra Leone: Africa Youth Diplomacy Forum Ends Successfully

July 28, 2019

Ambassador Mohamed Barrie, Sierra Leone Chairman Peace and Security Council, Africa Youth Assembly 2019

The Africa Youth Assembly hosted in Freetown Sierra Leone to discuss on Africa Union Agenda 2063 and pave the way for diplomatic relations, negotiations, and consultations and achieve Education for Sustainable Development in Africa has ended successfully.

The Africa Youth Diplomacy Forum brought together young diplomats across Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia, Liberia and Uganda) to discuss on numerous challenges causing the underdevelopment of African Countries and proffer solutions in line with AU Agenda 2063.

Admittedly, I must say this is one of my best International Conference I have ever attended, a conference that practically display the facade of International Negotiations, Mutual Agreements, Collaborative Efforts and understanding of each other, strengths and weaknesses in the circus of diplomacy.

At the Opening Plenary of the Conference it was challenging because of miscommunication. Many people (public) thought the conference will not hold including the national and International delegates, we felt discouraged, depressed and disappointed but we realized that we are the leaders of today and as diplomat we should always look for a way forward to achieve our set goals.

National and international delegates including the organizers went to the drawing board and developed Plan B to ensure that we meet our target, after a marathon of consultation, agreement and disagreement we were able to come out with possible solutions in achieving the first ever Africa Youth Diplomacy Conference in Freetown Sierra Leone and they were proud to say that the Plan B worked more proactively than what was expected.

He added that he thanks the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs Hon. Mohamed Haji Kella for honouring their invitation to serve as the Key Note Speaker at the Opening Plenary of the Conference. He went on to state that he extends profound thanks and gratitude to their dynamic and development-oriented panellist Themoty Sam of Plan International, Miss Hadiatou Dillo of One Family People, Mr. David Moniea of Forum for Empowerment of Young People and Mrs. Fatu Taqi of 50/50.

Sierra Leone: FIFA Bans SLFA Ex-Officials for 5 Years

July 28, 2019

Fifa has banned several former football administrators for their involvement with match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal.

Former Sierra Leone FA (SLFA) official Abu Bakarr Kabba has been banned by Fifa for five years and fined US$50,000 for violating the organisation’s Code of Ethics.

Football’s world governing body found him “guilty of having accepted and received bribes in relation to the manipulation of international matches”.

Kabba, formerly an administration secretary and acting general secretary in the SLFA, was one of 15 players and officials originally suspended in 2014 during a match-fixing investigation.

SLFA president Isha Johansen, who has long fought for a match-fixing inquiry to go ahead despite some local opposition, welcomed the move.

“After years of our country’s favourite sport being plagued by allegations and counter-allegations of match-fixing and betting offences, news of the indictment of senior people formerly connected to the Sierra Leone FA can only serve in the best interest of the nation,” she told the press in a statement.

“Hopefully the dawn of a new era in Sierra Leone football is within grasp.”

Kabba was part of FIFA’s investigation “into various international matches (attempted to be) manipulated for betting purposes by Mr Wilson Raj Perumal”.

The Fifa inquiry had repeatedly been delayed but focused on several matches, one of which was a World Cup qualifier between Sierra Leone and South Africa in 2008.

In April, former Sierra Leone captain Ibrahim Kargbo, who played for the national team between 2000-2013, was banned for life by Fifa who said he had been involved in attempted match manipulation of internationals.

No information was given of the games he had been sanctioned for however.

Like Kabba and Kargbo, several other African referees – and officials – have been punished for their links to convicted match-fixer Perumal, a Singaporean national.

Sierra Leone: SLP, ACC Brace Against Corruption

July 28, 2019

“We are not stopping at declaring our assets, incomes, and liabilities. We are taking further steps to reengineer ourselves, to re-commit ourselves to serving the people of Mattru Jong with fairness and honesty in our operations, to install integrity at traffic, to re-command respect in the eyes of the public, and to pledge our commitment to supporting and strengthening the fight against corruption,” ASP Umaru Turay in charge of operations said in a Parade Talk hosting the Anti-Corruption Commission.

His statement comes barely twelve days following release of the Global Corruption Barometer report 2019, which increased dramatically the percentage of people believing that there is less corruption in the SLP as compared to 2015.

“It is not by a mistake the figures have increased, nor is it by a puerile work, and nor is it through some slapdash programme,” ACC Southern Regional Manager told officers at the Parade Talk. Musa Jawara said the Pay No Bribe campaign continues to pay off, and tackling bribery in the SLP is seriously a huge task, but it is surmountable.

He said the monthly technical working group meetings held across the country – where MDAs review each other’s anti-corruption efforts; the sporadic sting operations – where at checkpoints in Freetown, Moyamba and Rutile half a dozen officers were arrested, and at Tikonko checkpoint in Bo and elsewhere several officers were nabbed; the parade addresses – where the petite distance between officers and ‘Pademba Road’ or their dismissal is emphasized; and partnership meetings – where CDIID and ACC strengthen collaboration to tackle graft, have been huge success to producing a desirous perception held by the public of their police force.

The ACC believes asset declaration can as well add to the effort at apprehending corruption and bribery in the force. Senior Public Education Officer, Sulaiman Sowa said when officers at Mattru Jong declare it continues to inform residents there that they are being policed by accountable personnel.

He said asset declaration offers protection against finger-pointing in respect of ownership of assets (vehicles and houses) and incomes. Some officers live a spectacular life style, and may be accused of creaming in an unexplained wealth.

Sowa said only asset declaration can save one’s neck. The forms may prove that the wealth is acquired lawfully.

According to the Anti-Corruption Act 2008, Section 119 (1) mandates public officers, within three months of becoming a public officer, to deposit a sworn declaration of their incomes, assets, and liabilities with the Commission and should also make such declaration yearly. Officers should also declare when they leave office.

However, the ACC proposed amendment bill laid before Parliament exempts public officers below grade seven from declaring. It means more than half of the police force by law will not declare, except officers by the nature of their routine administer finances. Therefore, the ACC is calling on the public to encourage their Members of Parliament to support the Bill in order to make the Commission stronger in the fight against corruption.

The ACC, which was on a three-day tour to Bonthe District, held a similar parade talk with the Sierra Leone Correctional Center (SLCC). The Commission admonished correctional officers – who can be exposed to temptation to indulge in malpractices such as transporting of unwanted materials or articles to inmates, offering preferential treatment to some, allowing inmates access outside the facility at odd hours, and receiving and soliciting bribes from visitors – to guide against perpetrating malpractices.

The Commission said it will sustain the district tours by making them quarterly.

Sierra Leone: FCC Signs Flood Mitigation Agreement

July 28, 2019

The Freetown City Council in collaboration with central government have signed an agreement which states that the central government will fund the implementation of the second phase of FCC’s Flood

Mitigation Plan. The signing of MoU between FCC, SLRA, RSLAF & ONS happened under the supervision of the Minister of Finance.

The funding will enable FCC, in collaboration with RSLAF and ONS, to clear and desilt gutters, drainages, bridges and culverts in 62 flood prone locations over the next three months. The implementation will start on Sunday 28th July, 2019 with supervision from SLRA, who will also map out locations that would need long term engineering works.

FCC in a press release says it is grateful for the financial support, which will be provided by the Road Maintenance Fund Administration (RMFA), to build on gains that were made when 52 locations were covered in phase 1.

The Flood Mitigation activities are complemented by community engagement to increase awareness of flooding risks and FCC’s ongoing drive to plant over 20,000 trees this year, particularly in upper catchment areas.

FCC went on to state that it recognizes that addressing the issue of flooding in Freetown goes way beyond clearing waterways in the city. We will cooperate with the relevant stakeholders to tackle the underlying issues that cause flooding, including undertaking engineering works where needed and fighting against deforestation.

Sierra Leone: MOHS Drills Health Workers for 3 Days

July 28, 2019

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Armed Forces Joint Medical Unit on Thursday 25^th July 2019, at the Sierra Leone Army’s Peace Mission Training Center (PMTC) in Hastings, conducted a simulation exercise in order to prepare health workers in the country in case of any serious medical outbreak.

Welcoming the participants, Colonel George Mohamed Bangura, the Commandant at PMTC, informed that the institution was established in the late 1980s and it was initially known as Hasting Camp but later transformed to an Infantry Training Center, Battle School for Western Area Brigade and now PMTC to meet the obligations and aspirations of the Government of Sierra Leone.

The vision of the PMTC is to gain international recognition for excellence in Post Security Operations training and education in emerging threats to security and applied research, Colonel George Mohamed Bangura stated.

He said during the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa it was the general outcry and a strong recommendation of the public health community that exercises of such nature should be conducted to ensure that the public health emergency response systems are intact.

In his statement, Lieutenant Colonel, Dr. Stephen, Commanding Officer, Joint Medical Unit 34 Military Hospital disclosed that the Rapidly Deplorable Isolated and Training Center Facility was established in 2016 by RSLAF with support from the British with the main purpose of responding appropriately in case of any outbreak, especially Ebola, underscoring how the facility staff can be deployed within 72 hours in anywhere there is an outbreak in Sierra Leone. He stated that can uphold 36 cases and provide treatment without any external intervention for 36hours.

“The simulation exercise will strengthen collaboration, coordination and communication,” he stated furthering how the exercise will continue to help and prepare the capacities of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation staff and other partners for rapid responses.

Director of Health Security in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation said they are responsible to protect the people of this country health-wise saying with the help of donor partners they have lined up programs that they are about to implement all geared towards strengthening the health sector.

“When the Ebola epidemic started all cases were taken to Kenema and during that period the entire hospital was used as Emergency Treatment Center which posed high risks of transmission of the disease but now we are trying to change the narrative. We must also commend the Minister of Health and his team for continuously giving us all the necessary support we need to improve on our efficiency,” he noted.

In his statement, Deputy Defense Minister, Dr. Anthony Sandi, said the simulation exercises are part of the Post-Ebola contingency plan and the proper coordination and collaboration between the Military Joint Medical Unit and the Government has raised hopes for more success stories within the Health sector.

He thanked President Bio for the increased budgetary allocation to the Joint Medical Unit pointing out how such will facilitate the maintenance of hospital equipment and undertake other infrastructural improvements.

The Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation explained that a simulation exercise is a form of practice, training, monitoring and evaluation of the capabilities of health workers and systems to handle any form of outbreak including an Ebola outbreak. “We want to use it as a means of preparedness and pre-planned storyline,” he highlighted.

He admonished the health workers to take the exercise serious pointing out how it is a test on whether we have ability in undertaking Surveillance, Risk Management, Distresses Assessment and Rapid Responses especially now that there is a Re-outbreak in Congo where the World Health Organization has declared a Health Emergency.

He went ahead to disclose that Lesser Fever used to be a predominant disease within the Kenema District but stressed that it has gone nationwide.

“So it is only when we prepare well that we can be at a vantage position to overcome whatever outbreak that occurs in Sierra Leone,” he admonished ending by thanking the US, Chinese and British Governments for their contributions to the health sector also appealing for such to continue.

Sergeant Dr. Foday Sesay, Site Manager of the Ebola Simulation Center stated that the exercises have helped them to be more prepared and learned new skills on how to apply Chlorine which is 0.5, more improved ways of using modernized technology like the Insertion Machine in preventing the Ebola virus to become more active.

Dr. Sesay added that most of those involved in the simulation exercise are medical personnel stating that some of them were with them during the Ebola outbreak adding that others are new staffs. “ We are doing all what is required to do in treating patients including the use of Thermometer , Donning, Doffing, Triage and emergency cases. We did all these in an advanced response manner as compared before when the expertise was absent,” he expressed optimism.

The simulation exercise will last for three days.

Sierra Leone: =COMMENTARY= A Crying Need for SLPP to do Practice on Political Tolerance

July 28, 2019

With due respect to His Excellency President Bio and the ruling SLPP Government, it is high time that they as the government of the day practice to the latter and spirit what he has repeatedly told the nation, that we should have peace and national cohesion by letting bygones be bygones and embrace each other as Sierra Leoneans.

It can be recalled that in the aftermath of the highly contested 2018 elections, the country’s political atmosphere became highly charged as the defeated All People’s Congress accused the winning Sierra Leone People’s Party of intimidating, attacking, brutalizing and even killing their supporters, they said out of malice, grudge and need for revenge.

It was then that the phrase “political tolerance” started to be bandied around and was on the lips of all country’s main political actors; including our concerned international development partners who have stood staunchly behind us since the mid –when a very weakened state and its traumatized people were desperately seeking peace with their rebellious RUF (now RUFP) brothers and sisters, and who up to now continue to assist us generously financially and morally, with the aim of helping us consolidate our hard-won peace and outgrow the causes of the eleven years civil war.

The events of the past one year discouragingly seems to show that Sierra Leoneans – Government, Opposition and many of us partisan Sierra Leoneans – have not learnt anything of our ugly political past – that divided as we continue to be, we can only be of grave harm to each other, and no good to ourselves and the state.

Without intending to draw fire with the ruling SLPP, we want to believe that there are troublesome people within that party that do not want peace and harmony to reign in this country.

This accusation has nothing to do with the ongoing Commissions of Inquiry into the conduct of the former APC Government – truth is, they had the opportunity to set the stage for responsible, accountable governance when they took over power in 2007 by rigorously pursuing the line of action that the SLPP government has now taken to hold past officials accountable for their stewardship of the state, its resources and finances.

Rather, it has to do with allegations that more and more, SLPP is disrespecting the rule of law and behaving towards their political adversaries in the APC as if they are above the law and untouchable.

We however commend APC for controlling their tempers and for strenuously maintain the peace in the interest of the greater good which is the peace, security and development of the country for the betterment of one and all.

This observation is not far-fetched when we consider that few months back, tension between SLPP and APC got so heated, that four Ambassadors of the countries that provide us with development assistance had to against protocol issue out a terse statement calling for peace to prevail.

Truth of the matter is that many people believe that it is not the ruling SLPP that should be provoking any confrontation with APC and the opposition generally. In fact, they maintain that it is SLPP which in the truer Christian sense of turning the other cheek that should let bygones be bygones, forget totally about whatever wrongs they believe APC when in power did to them and show that they are magnanimous enough to extend a genuine brother hand to APC and the opposition generally on the strong belief that no one man, no one party, no one tribe, no one region can alone develop Mama Salone except all of us, in spite of our political and ideological differences, pulling together like the crew on a rowing boat towards the same development destination.

As a nation, divided we stand, united we shall continue to perish as has been happening to us since out independence in the 1960s when if we were united like Botswana, like Singapore, pulling together in the same direction how wealthy, peaceful and admired we would have been in the community of nations.

Let us please learn from our past – united we stand, divided we shall continue to perish as we do now.

More Attention Needed on Combating Hepatitis in Sierra Leone -Health Minister

July 28, 2019

Health Minister, Prof. Alpha Tejan Wurie

Minister of Health and Sanitation has called for a sustained awareness-raising campaign on viral hepatitis for the public to be aware so that they will not be infected or affected by the disease.

July 28 of every year is commemorated as World Hepatitis Day with the aim of increasing awareness on viral hepatitis and the impact it has worldwide.

“Our hygiene status is critical and vital to help in reducing the spread of the disease. We should continue washing our hands after most things that we do. Hepatitis B is a major public health problem and prevention should be paramount,” Prof. Alpha Tejan Wurie said.

He told a press conference room of the ministry yesterday that even though there are five types of hepatitis, the B and C are the ones that are likely to affect the liver.

He said people may die much earlier from liver cancer as a consequence of hepatitis, and that the infection rate of hepatitis is almost ten times that of HIV.

“Even though there has been no statistics, the prevalence rate of 6% to 21% of hepatitis is huge and the media must help us to let the public know. We will be embarking on a zero prevalence survey as a ministry,” Prof. Wurie noted and disclosed that the advocacy of the disease will be taken to peripheral health units.

Although there has been no national representative data on the disease, Director of Disease Prevention and Control, Dr. Samuel Juana Smith, stated that a substantial burden has been observed in the different sub-populations of the country.

He revealed that the general laboratory and blood bank registry of the Koidu Government Hospital shows that hepatitis B is roughly 10-15% of all diagnosis or blood screened on random request.

“On the Koidu Government medical wards, there are at least 10 cases a month of an end stage liver disease due to hepatitis B virus infection. Children infected during birth or under five years of age are one of the most likely groups to develop a chronic form of the infection in adulthood,” he said.

He said infected mothers often transmit the virus to their babies during pregnancy and delivery and that healthcare workers are at risk of becoming infected when exposed to the blood of hepatitis B patients.

Dr. Smith disclosed that a free screening for hepatitis will be conducted on Saturday July 27, 2019 at Connaught and 34 Military hospitals respectively and urged members of the public to make use of the opportunity to know their status.