Under the capable and astute leadership of one of the most industrious and humanitarian Lawyer Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai the Premier League continues to be very interesting.
Recently, he presented trophies to the Press and the general public, a presentation which was geared towards serving as a motivation for all participating teams as they are so attractive that any winner in this league will forever remember the history created in the rebirth of Sierra Leone football after four years.
Thirteen (13) teams are currently competing for the title race with every team displaying artistry, brilliance and drama. The Sierra Leone Premier league has brought together over 300,000 spectators across the nation and it has generated billions of Leones which has directly benefited participating teams.
In a well attended Press Conference lawyer Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai disclosed that the winner of this Premier League will take home the sum of One hundred and fifty million Leones (Le 150,000,000) and golden medals and the runner up will walk home with cash prize and silver medals.

Every premier league team has been given the sum of Le50,000,000 from the cash provided by the Government of Sierra Leone and in the second leg of the league participating teams will also be provided with some cash to aid them in running administrative cost.

The Premier League is really here.

It is most unfortunate that Sierra Leoneans generally love to see the downfall of their hard-working brothers and sisters. What we love to hear about others is not the good things that they do on behalf of the country and their fellow citizens.
A disgusted former President Kabbah after carefully observing this malignant malice among us Sierra Leoneans commented ‘Salone man get bad heart’.
The pull-him-down syndrome is destroying hard working Sierra Leoneans. Sam King and many patriotic Sierra Leoneans that genuinely sought to contribute to economic recovery are leaking their wounds after been pulled down by their enemies and detractors. MIK who was operating a Foreign Exchange Bureau was also destroyed as well as Med T of the Wanword International fame was destroyed. The elder brother of Chief Minister Professor Francis, Paul Francis, suffered a stroke because of such ill-treatment at the hands of fellow Sierra Leoneans who hated him for his pioneering entrepreneurial strides.
In the same vein, without shifting the chaff from the grain, enemies and detractors of Mohamed Gento Kamara have inundated social media with the erroneous claim that the roads contractor cannot account for the whopping sum of USD5 million.
The fact of the matter is that, what was not stated is that, it was the Roads Maintenance Fund Agency and the Ministry of Finance that failed to do proper reconciliation.
There was a memorandum of understanding wherein, SLRA which is the parent body of RMFA agreed to fund roads contractors on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone.
The USD5 million in question is very easy to explain. SLRA through RMFA was to pay Gento 30 percent advance for the Waterloo township roads project. The amount should have been Le12.8 billion. Gento received Le7.8 billion.
The balance account remained with RMFA which had the onus of reconciling its books with the Ministry of Finance.
What however emerges from the bad press directed at Gento is that his fellow Sierra Leoneans want to see him go down the drain.
In Nigeria, Dangote was able to become the richest man in Africa because he got sovereign guarantee by the Government of Nigeria to borrow money.
In Guinea, to finance and promote local businesses the Head of State recently borrowed big, up to the tune of over 700 Million dollars, from the international money market to capitalize the local private sector in advancing that country’s local content policy.
On the other hand, in the case of Gento, he singlehandedly attracted the Italian firm FIMET-BETONVILLE to support him in contributing to national development through engaging in the road construction industry.
How many Sierra Leoneans know that in the absence of government funding, Gento soldiered on with the Hill Cut bypass road through self financing.
Any insinuation that Gento Group of Companies owes RMFA is preposterous as he has authentic document to the effect showing the contract signed in December 2015 did not breach any protocols.
What Gento was paid as advance is clearly recorded at the Accountant General department and with his bank. He was to receive USD12.8 million. He received less the USD5 million paid not in dollars but in Leones.
We should as a nation be appreciative of fellow Sierra Leoneans like Gento who have the vision and daring to venture where very few of us do, even those who are very rich.
Gento from very humble beginnings has over the years grown and developed to become one of the largest indigenous employers.
Is that not a cause for celebration?
The point being made is that Gento, during a period when the nation was suffering economically from the Ebola outbreak, continued to faithfully believe in the Government whilst his bankers breathed down his throat for payment of the interest on the heavy overdraft that he had taken out to continue doing the roads whilst awaiting payment from Government.
That notwithstanding, Gento has documentary evidence that in 2017, Ministry of Finance recovered the money. What is not said at one of the Commissions of Inquiry is that RMFA wanted the money paid by the Ministry of Finance as cash payment into RMFA account.
Gento has said that is why he is very pleased with this Government introducing the Single Treasury Account as it now centralizes all Government accounts making it very easy to track payments into Government coffers.
He concluded that he was invited by the Commission of Inquiry to just help in the ongoing investigation which he successfully did with documentation but he was not called as a suspect as some have perceived.
He reiterated that it is totally wrong to pull down progressive individuals who are making meaningful contributions towards national development.

Members of Parliament of the main Opposition All People’s Congress Party have expressed serious disappointment over the Sierra Leone Judiciary saying that they do not have any trust in the Chief Justice and the courts.
They made this statement within Parliament building at Tower Hill after they came from the court to have the judgment on a petition that it filed some time ago.
According to Hon. Lahai Marrah, on behalf of the APC MPs, that they did not have any iota confidence or trust in the judiciary system. He further told newsmen that according to the petition Act no petition case should not exceed 4 months without hearing taking place but in their case it has been in the Court for the past 8 months which, he said, is tantamount to injustice to them and the people they are representing.
He further informed that the Government is using the Judiciary to intimidate them whenever there are heated debates bordering on failure to fast track development of the country.
He added that when they become so vociferous that is the time the Court will call on them, noting that on Friday they were informed by their lawyers that they should be in court but when they went there to see the Chief Justice he told them that they were to get the ruling today in the matter that is in the Appeals Court but one of the judges was reportedly sick .
Hon. Marrah reiterated that the Chief Justice pleaded with them to be patient as they will communicate to them in the shortest possible time “The reason why we don’t have confidence and trust in the Judiciary and the Chief Justice is because he was the one that filed a case against the MPs which is why he was compensated as Chief Justice,” he lamented.
Hon. Lahai Marrah, concluded that the matter has been thrown out by the Judges in the North saying that there is no substance in the petition and later another they filed the case in Freetown noting that they also filed a petition against the SLPP MPs but was kept under the carpet. “If the ruling goes against MPs they will all leave their seats and allow the SLPP to continue running their government,” he threatens.
Hon. Daniel Koroma, also told newsmen that when a petition case is filed in a court it should be heard within 4 months after which judgment should be given.
“Let the Government hands off the Judiciary so that the court will be independent as it used to be in the past,” he suggested.
He said they are ready at any time they are called upon by the court to go emphasising that the APC party is a united and strong party and they will continue to be in unity till the next general elections.

The pace at which the 2019 Housemates Salone Reality TV Show is climaxing is highly noticeable as it is becoming keenly competitive as the mates in the House are trying to outdo themselves in order to lure members of the public to vote for them through Africell No 5500. The live Reality Show, which is shown on AYV Television (Channel 38), is indeed a novelty in this country for which the organizers AYV Media Empire and Africell have been widely commended as they continue to add value to the entertainment industry,
Again, putting aside a whooping sum of Le100, 000,000 as the star prize seemingly is very unbelievable but there is no doubt that at the end of the day the lucky winner will be handed that amount
For now all the Housemates must captivatingly, display nudity, strong language and humour. Doing so successfully will put anyone of them in the limelight and lure more votes which is why all of them are doing their best in order to be endearing.
The competition is all about empowerment of the young Housemates through polishing their characters, attitudes, ability to interact so that at the end of the day they become transformed individuals.
AYV, under the stewardship of Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Anthony Navo, has been very notable for empowering young people and make them relevant in society. It is this passion the CEO has which could likely be one of the motivating driving factors that led AYV to team up with Africell to organize the 2019 Housemates Salone Reality TV Show.
Though some may want to argue that the empowerment that the participants are benefitting from is not a prolonged one but the fact remains that they are indeed learning new skills, Even those who have been evicted are somehow transformed.
One good thing about the Reality TV Show is that it has penetrated a beam on all the participants and as the world is watching someone somewhere may have spotted those Housemates that are truly talented and there is a possibility that they may want to tap those talents and make good use of them.

If in reality the show is very much interesting it is the role being played by the intriguing Invisible Chief with the commanding baritone voice giving intermittent instructions to the Housemates to carry out certain assignments or to ask them to articulate themselves well by responding to questions posed.

Though the program is principally a social one where the participants are expected to display nudity, strong language and humour yet it is a learning pad. The Housemates are taken through various motivational lectures on how to live positive lifestyles,

What is certain as of now is that the ongoing close locked battle is an affair among the remaining ten who must convincingly woo the public to vote for them via Africell No 5500. The more the merrier!
As the show continues, the House is getting hotter and viewers are enjoying every bit of it.

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.