What the All Political Parties Association has observed about the nation’s politics is the hard fact – nothing but the whole truth – Salone is not peaceful; Salone is not united; Salone is at war with itself politically.
We agree with President Bio that we have a collective responsibility to maintain the peace and stability of our great nation.
However, we do not believe that setting up a Peace and Reconciliation Commission is the answer to the problem. Did former President Koroma not set up an Attitudinal and Behaviorial Change Commission to actualize his vision of a cultured, progressive Salone? What did it achieve?
What is known is that everything starts in the mind. Any move towards bringing peace and unity into the nation has to start with the mind. Totangi’s Commission was set up to be the harbinger of a new thinking Salone. He is yet to get his head around the problem and devise an active well-articulated approach to the problem of getting Sierra Leoneans across the board beyond tribe, region and traditional prejudices about each other talking sincerely and openly about their defects as a nation and how they can go about building a more constructively engaged nation of people that truly believe that they are, indeed, ONE COUNTRY, ONE PEOPLE.
Agreed, that as President Bio said in his New Year’s Day message to the Nation: “The aim is to promote cross-community and cross-regional unity, and consensus building for sustainable peace and development.”
Let us be honest: how can we achieve that when both APC and SLPP continue to hold doggedly to their traditional belief that North/West and South/East should never sit at the same table to dine and wine without trading evil looks, “mammy cuss” and blows?
The traditional and religious leaders and the institutions of enculturation, that is the schools, colleges and universities stand to play a vital transformational role in creating a new Sierra Leonean mentality and mindset that will bring us closer together in understanding and sympathy if they too had not become part of the problem by identifying themselves as either pro-APC or pro-SLPP.
Call a spade a spade: there is no true national dialogue going on in this country. We all continue to occupy different sides of the stadium looking menacingly at each other through tribal, regional and political binoculars with no fair independent minded referee watching keenly for fouls and other violations of the rules of the game and willing to punish players accordingly for flagrant violations.
Look for example at what happened in Parliament during the debate for setting up the COIs which one side hypocritically says it supports but fought tooth and nail to prevent it from becoming a reality. How then, for example, can we say that as a nation we are united in the fight against corruption and bad governance when some wholeheartedly believe in its opposite – and at that, a significant proportion of the population as witnessed to be the representation of APC in Parliament.
As such, the first step towards creating the atmosphere for genuine national peace is constructive political engagements among and between all the country’s political Parties with a view to truly identifying what our core values as a nation are.
We do agree that in this quest for true national peace that is the precondition to enhancing national development that benefits every citizen, we must dig deep into our cultural past to discover what our true human and social values are and beyond that communicate it to each and every Sierra Leonean as the Chinese did in the process of discovering themselves and coming together for attaining of the common good of freeing themselves from poverty, illiteracy, etc.
In which light, the search for national peace is not so much about preventing violence; it is most importantly about stopping us seeing ourselves suspiciously and prejudicially. It is about identifying what strong bonds we can share as human beings beyond tribe, race, region and politics – these are the things that make for peace and nationhood. That is what Botswana identified long ago, and what Rwanda identified after the genocide and incorporated into their DNAs and social makeup that make them stand out now today to the rest of the world as beacons of patriotism and progress.

It has been well confirmed by the Sierra Leone diplomatic mission in Nairobi, which also serves as permanent representative to the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) has that its staff and all Sierra Leoneans based in the Kenyan capital are safe and sound.
This confirmation was made by His Excellency Peter Joseph Francis- Sierra Leone High Commissioner to Kenya and Permanent Representative to the UNON, UNEP and UN-Habitat, during an exclusive phone call interview in the evening hours of Tuesday 15th January 2019.
The confirmation of the HE Peter Joseph Francis of the safety of Sierra Leonean diplomats and Sierra Leonean citizens in Nairobi comes as Kenyan authorities mounted massive security in its capital- Nairobi after suspected al-Shabab militants attack at Dusit D2 Hotel, 14 Riverside Drive, Westlands, Nairobi, killing five (5) people and three (3) causalities currently admitted at the Age Kahn Hospital in Nairobi.
Meanwhile, according to a Kenyan Nation Police Service release dated Tuesday 15th January 2019, and signed by the Inspector General, Joseph Boinnet, at about 3pm EAT (12pm GMT) “a group of armed assailants attacked the Dusit complex in a suspected terror attack.”
On his efforts thus far in checking on and ensuring the safety of Sierra Leoneans in Nairobi, HE Peter Joseph Francis said sooner he got the information of the attack; he got the entire staff of Sierra Leonean High Commission in Nairobi in a single building that is electronically protected.
HE Peter Joseph Francis further confirmed that the Deputy Sierra Leone Special Representative to the United Nation (UN) in New York, Madam Victoria Sulaiman who was attending the UN meeting on the Environment, was in his residence at 158 Mimosa Drive off Mimosa Road, Runda, Nairobi, doing fine.
HE Peter Joseph Francis said, however, he was worried about the welfare of a single Sierra Leonean whose office is said to be in the same building that was attacked. Upon reaching the family of the man, HE Peter Joseph Francis said the family assured him that the Sierra Leonean is currently out of Nairobi and is currently in Uganda on another assignment.
Thus he said, so far every Sierra Leonean in Nairobi is safe and sound and that the Sierra Leone High Commission, situated at 57 Gigiri Court off UN Crescent, Gigiri, Nairobi, Kenya, has already resumed operation.
So far, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during a statement relating to the attack on the morning hours of Wednesday 17th January 2019 from Nairobi said 14 people were killed and about 75 others rescued from the hotel. He said, the operation is over and that the militants have been neutralized.
President Uhuru Kenyatta during his televised broadcast thanked all Kenyans and international community for the robust and prompt action and the solidarity they show in combating the attack. He assured of safety for all.

The Sierra Leone Muslim Congress and the Forum of Islamic Organisation for Peaceful Coexistence have commended His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio, on his pledge to fight corruption.

Secretary-General of the Congress, Professor Babatunde Karim, said they were pleased with the initial steps to move the country forward by the New Direction government. He pointed out that the free quality education initiative was a testament to the Government’s commitment to improving the lives of every Sierra Leone child.

He commended the President for his steps in unifying the country as well as his determination to ending corruption in the country, adding that they were fully in support of the Commission of Inquiry. He noted that the Commission was actually meant to recover stolen government monies and assets and encouraged the Government to remain focus and avoid being distracted by sycophants.

“We are particularly delighted for all the strides you have made in this short time in office. We are happy with the management of the 2018 Holy Pilgrimage, which is the best we have seen so far and we hope that the years to come will be better. We are also grateful for your prompt actions taken on Muslim holidays.

“We are again excited about the ban on parading of masquerades not only on Muslim holidays but also on all Holy days. There is also an urgent need for more cemeteries within Freetown so it will be good to engage the Ministry of Lands to provide land to reduce the pressure on the already saturated burial sites within Freetown.”

Chairman of the Forum of Islamic Organisation for Peaceful Coexistence, Justice Abubakarr King, said the forum was ready to supplement the efforts of the Government to positively transform the country. He said, as Muslims, they were pleased with the level of tolerance between the two main religions in the country.
He also lauded the President’s readiness to fight corruption and expressed their excitement for the ban on all non-Islamic activities on the streets of Freetown, especially stopping masquerades on Muslim holidays. He said he was particularly happy with Government’s uncompromising position against rape and violence against women.

“We are happy for the Commission of Inquiry and believe that there is no element of a witch-hunt in it. We are fully behind it and our entire membership will support the process until the end. We commend you for the free quality education which is an initiative no one has thought of. Before now, quality education was for the rich. Under your leadership, it is now affordable,” he said.

In his response, President Bio said it was great meeting with members of the Muslim community. He said Muslims were in the greater majority in the country and that it was needful to provide them with the conducive environment to carry out their practice freely. He added that he was able to organise a successful Pilgrimage because of the credible people who were assigned to lead the process.

“We have to celebrate our religious tolerance because it contributes to the peace and security of the world. We need to live in peace and the Government will support your organisation to promote peaceful coexistence. We have to work with other religions for the peace of our nation. We should discourage any group of individuals that will want to bring chaos in our religions,” he said.

On the Commission of Inquiry, the President added that: “Before now, we had been rated as one of the most corrupt nations in the world. Now, that is beginning to change. The Commission of Inquiry is a way of cleaning our image and it will serve as a deterrent to even some of us in government now. So, we want the support of all because we cannot do it alone,” he urged.

When President Koroma launched his ‘Agenda for Prosperity’, to ensure its successful implementation, he signed performance contracts with his Ministers, telling them and heads of public agencies at a presidential retreat that delivery of this new agenda must not fail.
“The targets we set in the Agenda for Prosperity will be directly aligned to the Performance Contracts that I will sign with Ministers. My election as President was an act of performance contract signing with my employers – the people of this great nation. I must fulfil the objectives of my employment,” President Koroma affirmed.
In 2007 when he was first elected to office, President Koroma promised the people of Sierra Leone that his period in office will be marked by a new style of governance.
He said, “the key values and principles that will drive this Government and party are: transparency, openness, probity and accountability”.
To ensure that the management of all organs of state and public institutions are consistent with these values, the President said he will not only sign performance contracts with all Ministers, heads of departments and agencies, but most importantly – will publish an annual performance report.
The people of Sierra Leone are yet to see those annual performance reports – telling the people of Sierra Leone how well his Ministers are doing.
In order to achieve this, President Koroma pinned his hopes on his ministers and heads of departments to help translate his new Agenda for Prosperity into reality.
Many believe that had the President published the 2010 report on Ministers’ performance, he would have gone down in the history of Sierra Leone as the first leader to deliver what he promised.
They say that by entrusting the process in the hands of a selected few civil servants, without a broad-based national consultation – was a big mistake, and fell far short of development policy formulation best practice.
Speaking to Ministers and the Agenda for Prosperity Think-Tank at the retreat, President Koroma said:
“Many of you here present will recall that on assumption of office in 2007, I invited Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Heads of Government Agencies and other stakeholders to a retreat at Bumbuna where I outlined my priorities for my first term in office. Following the Bumbuna Retreat, we firmed up the aspirations of our people into the Agenda for Change.”
But President Koroma failed to mention that he and his APC party did not formulate that Agenda for Change.
The Agenda for Change was hurriedly put together by Tony Blair’s advisers, after Koroma had won the 2007 elections, using the country’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 1 document; hence Ministers were unable to take ownership and deliver such an ambitious development program.
At his second inauguration in 2013, President Koroma said: “Drawing from the aspirations made known during the conference and determined to continue the transformation unleashed by the Agenda for Change, my Party and I, campaigned on the platform of ensuring greater transformation; we vowed to do more when re-elected; and we committed ourselves to implementing an Agenda for Prosperity.”
“With this retreat, we are continuing the process of firming up the promises we made during the elections; we are moving forward with the aspirations for the nation to become a middle income country; we are using the Agenda for Prosperity as the first five year road map towards achieving this goal.”
President Koroma told his Ministers; “If we are to become a middle-income country by 2035, we have to address the challenges. We must do more to bring down the poverty levels, reduce unemployment amongst youths and continue with the transformation in the health sector to further reduce infant mortality rates.”
“This time around, we want to ensure that the revenues from natural resources are properly managed and are utilised for the benefit of present and future generations. To that end, we will be establishing a Transformation Development Fund from the proceeds of our natural resources,” he went on.
Reminding Ministers of the important role they will play in achieving his Agenda for Prosperity, President Koroma said:
“It is important to note that we must all put greater emphasis on committed and regular collaboration and coordination among all Ministries, Departments and Agencies.”

The Chairman of the Sierra Leone Premier League Board, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai Esq has unequivocally intimated fans that he is determined and poised to revitalize and reawake the country’s national league kick starts commencing 27th January after some 4 year lull. This disclosure was made by no person less than the Chairman of the Sierra Leone Premier League Board, the erudite Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai Esq. In an exclusive interview with this medium it was made known that Government has provided 2 billion Leones to revitalize the Premier league and clubs are reforming by registering as companies all having variable bank accounts with the effective executive.
Though the ban on the participation of Sierra Leone in any international competition is still in force, the Chairman believes that this is the time to tap the resources and talents of its youths playing in the various football clubs. The Chairman maintained that in a bid to create jobs for the youths, especially those involve in football and other aspiring young talents, they have engaged the various teams and have arrived at a decision that the players should be held on contract basis like their counterparts in the other countries including those seen in the international clubs. Modalities were worked out for each player to be paid on a monthly basis. This, he said, will help to motivate the players to give their best.
Speaking to the Board Member and Communications Director of the Sierra Leone Premier League, Alhaji Komba, he reiterated the stance of Chairman Saffa Abdulai that the players need to be cared for. He also disclosed that since the ban is still in force effectively preventing Sierra Leone from taking part in any international competition, it is the view of the Board that this league, which is scheduled to kick start on the 27th of January, will present the much needed opportunity to assess the players and get a very good squad for any football engagement after the ban is lifted. It will further create jobs for them as they will be paid on a monthly basis. Saffa Abdulai earlier maintained that the Board has been engaged in the reformation of football in the country and during this process they were able to impress on the clubs that each player should be on contract as it will motivate them and will provide a source of income for them unlike the had-hock situation that existed before. In this regard the seed money provided for the clubs can be used as a start to pay the players. Players will now be properly cared for by their respective clubs.
Alhaji Komba further disclosed that this is a reawakening of football in the country. Following the dismal performances of the national team in the international scene before the ban, many citizens have been calling on the Association to go back to the drawing board and restructure the football in the country. This, he stressed, the Board through its Chairman, has been able to do. It was also disclosed that certain football promoters are willing to spot out talents which could be improved for international signings. The Premier League, he maintained, will follow the calendar of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) which ends in June/July.
Enthused by this revelation, football loving Sierra Leoneans say that this is a welcome development and lauded the Chairman for taking the initiative to ensure that the players benefit from their associations with any club. This, they maintained, will be create the requisite atmosphere for football to thrive in the country, as seen in international clubs across the world. They praised Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai for bringing back the premier League and creating the opportunity for youths to grow. They expressed hope for the development of a better football family in the country devoid of all sentiments but that of the progress of the game in the country and the ability of the national team to win International laurels.

In countrywide interviews conducted by this writer alongside other news medium in order to gauge the views of the vast majority of Sierra Leoneans relating to what they think about the relevance of the Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL) vis-à-vis overall national development, what came out clearly were positive commendations for the result-oriented business entity.

Most proudly and enthusiastically expressed the view that without any iota of doubt that SLBL had and will still continue to meaningfully contribute to national growth and better still putting monies in the pockets of many, virtually improving standards of living.

SLBL is the country’s leading brewer of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages such as Guinness, Star Beer, Salone Beer, Mutzig, Maltina etc which are cherished by many from different walks of life. The company has been in operations from a very long period of time and over the years contributed greatly to the nation’s economy.

“There is no iota of doubt that the company is rated as one of the best and manufactures high qualitative drinks which many will agree are the favorites of Sierra Leoneans and foreigners,” Sam Pratt opined during a frank discussion in a popular entertainment spot where this medium caught up with him adding that the variety of drinks are most times sold at bottom rock prices.

In a business related discussion with distributors, who are wholesalers, the majority contacted confidently intimated that doing business with SLBL is very reliable, profitable furthering how they have provided auxiliary job opportunities for some young people within their respective localities. “I have been doing business with SLBL for over ten years and thank to the Almighty my life has been changed in the positive direction,” Brian, an established dealer informed furthering that nothing will stop him from doing business with the company.

SLBL is highly appreciated for offering employment to many youths especially those residing within the Wellington Industrial area where the company is located thereby fulfilling one of its vital Corporate Social Responsibility. Besides, the company has been widely acclaimed for facilitating various development projects and promotions that continue to considerably improve the standards of living of Sierra Leoneans.

In terms of the payment of taxes the company has been very compliant in a timely manner and such huge taxes is availing Government the necessary resources to undertake national projects in different parts of the country.

Some bar owners showered praises on SLBL for beautifying their bars through availing them appropriate furniture creating an atmosphere for customers to comfortably relax and enjoy themselves especially during the evening hours and in weekend out at beaches. “I want to doff my hat to SLBL for rolling out such an initiative which has really ease the burden on us to purchase relaxation chairs as well as tables where our esteemed customers put their drinks,” Santigie Koroma, a well-known bar owner in Waterloo expressed gratitude.

“One cannot deny the indisputable fact that SLBL is one company that has demonstrated the tendency as an entity that is here to stay for real,” Memunatu Koroma argued during a privileged conversation at a popular joint where people usually hang out in the evening hours. She went on to substantiate her stance by underscoring that SLBL recently imported modern machineries that they are currently using in its production chain and making it possible to increase productivity.

If for one thing, SLBL stands tall in empowering sorghum farmers who could be found in various parts of the provinces. Sorghum is a produce that the company is using as one of its raw materials to manufacture certain beverages. It is grown locally. “By encouraging the expansion of planting sorghum SLBL is really adhering to the country’s local content policy thereby financially empowering our local farmers,” one of the farmers asserted.

Conclusively it could be logically deduced by all estimation the Sierra Leone Brewery Limited is making major and meaningful inputs to the country’s economy and by extension it has become a major pillar to overall national development.

One thing that is indisputable is that Africell, the country’s leading telecommunications company deserve the accolade as the country’s leading telecommunications company that has been rendering dependable and reliable services to its numerous subscribers. In a world that seeks to make the globe smaller through communication, Africell continues to create closeness.

Africell has always been more than just a company. It is a family that stands through thick and thin.

In a retrospective perspective when the Ebola epidemic struck, Africell was at the forefront to render material and financial spport to cushion the negative effects that ensued which went a long way not only to combat the plight but brought relief to those who were especially directly affected.

That was a clear pointer to the fact that the company is dedicated to its mantra of: ‘Africell #WiDaeYaForYou’.

Going further, when the mudslide catastrophe occurred, another major national disaster, Africell was once again at the fore front providing humanitarian support to those that were badly affected. They grieved, mourned and healed together.

Africell has been hailed by many Sierra Leoneans for dishing out meaningful promotions that has improved standards of living evident in the latest one in which 30 Kekehs were won.

It is common knowledge that one of the popular and widely listened radio stations is Air Radio which has been widely acclaimed for churning out impressive programmes that are informative , educating and entertaining.
“Let me help you. Africell is also supporting other radio stations by giving them free fuel and calls,” Joseph disclosed adding that such is helping various local stations to effectively function.
The initiative of introducing a health insurance scheme in which for just Le50, 000 a subscriber is liable to free treatment worth up to the tune of one thousand United States Dollars is really a novelty and Africell is one institution that has ventured into that. “Such an initiative is laudable and it will enhance accessibility as well as affordability to individuals who cannot pay exorbitant medical bills,” a Social Commentator highlighted.
When it comes to internet connectivity Africell is leading in that direction with the introduction its 4G LTE which is faster and very reliable. “We can now browse conveniently at low costs,” a popular blogger noted.
It was reliably revealed that the customer base of the company stands in the range of four million subscribers which is a clear indication that Africell is patronised by many across the country.
Africell has been supporting various activities within the country ranging from sponsoring sporting activities, enhancing education, beautifying different parts of the city and certain institutions. “This shows how the company is complementing the Government to implement national programmes,” a long time subscriber of the company stated.
From all what had been learnt it can be seen that Africell is the leading telecommunications company in the country.

A Sierra Rutile Special Taskforce, set up by Government to investigate the disparities between the Sierra Rutile Mining Company and the Workers Union, has called at State House to present its findings and recommendations to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio.

Chairman of the Taskforce, Julius Partai, said it was a pleasure to serve the government and the people of Sierra Leone through the independent taskforce that investigated the incident that occurred at Sierra Rutile a few months ago. He said the investigation was a collective responsibility and noted the he was happy with the support he received from the community people, the police and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces.

Mr Partai said their meeting with the President was to present the report, which had cost them sleepless nights, adding that the findings and recommendations in it were well detailed and done with all levels of fairness and integrity. He stated that they were aware of how important the mining sector was, especially in boosting the local economy through payment of taxes and creation of jobs for citizens.

“There are a lot of issues in the report which need the urgent attention of government and we are ready to work with the government to ensure that government benefits from its natural resources. We know that since minerals were discovered in the country our communities have been plagued by a series of issues and sometimes the expectations, in terms of what we should be getting as communities from the mining companies, have not been met.

“Like you know, there are a lot of issues in these communities that needed urgent attention from government and it is our pleasure, based on all those evidence collected and based on all the inputs we have collected from all stakeholders, that this report has been conducted to the best of our knowledge and ability. The next stage, we look forward to the leadership to ensure that the vision of the New Direction is accomplished,” he urged.

On his part, President Bio thanked the team for taking their time to perform to the best of their abilities. He said the nation was trying to regularise a lot of things and that as a government, they were bound to strike the balance to ensure that there was a conducive environment that encouraged investors to operate as well as making sure that the rights of citizens were protected.

He recalled that the issues were creating insecurity in the country and that was why government had decided to intervene. He said he would look into the findings and recommendations of the report to know the different expectations from the company and the community and would continue to engage and dialogue with the various stakeholders to reach a common ground.

He said that: “We want to get this resolved as quickly as possible because we want to move on and do not want this to drag into the momentum that we want for the economy. We will honestly look at what is possible and try to find a middle ground and make sure that the issues are quickly resolved.”

It could be recalled that following the workers’ unrest and strike action at the Sierra Rutile, government held meetings with all the critical stakeholders and a special taskforce was formed to do an independent investigation on the outstanding issues that precipitated the union workers’ strike. The taskforce was facilitated by the Office of the Chief Minister.

• Thousands of children and young girls were raped last year in Sierra Leone — a silent epidemic of suffering in one of the world’s poorest countries.
• According to police statistics, recorded cases of sexual and gender-based violence almost doubled last year, reaching 8,505 in a population of 7.5 million, up from 4,750 a year earlier.
• Reports of rape and the sexual penetration of minors, as child rape is legally termed, have steadily increased, according to the Freetown-based Rainbo Initiative.
• Those looking for an explanation of Sierra Leone’s rape crisis often turn to the country’s violent recent past.

“Mary” was nine years old when her childhood abruptly ended.
Three men fed her sedatives then raped her.
Her mother, who had been washing clothes in a stream near their home in Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital, got home to find her child lying on the ground distraught, her legs and dress stained with blood.
“They put dirty clothes in my mouth and raped me,” the girl told AFP, without giving her real name.
The family reported the attack to the police and identified the rapists, but no charges were ever brought.
Thousands of children and young girls were raped last year in Sierra Leone — a silent epidemic of suffering in one of the world’s poorest countries.
According to police statistics, recorded cases of sexual and gender-based violence almost doubled last year, reaching 8,505 in a population of 7.5 million, up from 4,750 a year earlier.
And of that number, 2,579 cases — around a third — involved the rape of a minor.
But, as with the incidence of rape in almost every country, this shocking tally is almost certainly an understatement. “Mary” and her family plucked up the courage to report the crime: many do not.
“We have a culture of rape in Sierra Leone,” admitted Chernor Bah of the UN’s Global Education First Initiative at a demonstration in Freetown last month where more than 500 black-clad protesters took to the streets over violence against women.
“The rape of minors is a national problem,” rally organiser Asma James said.
“The situation is sad, selfish, barbaric and inhuman and requires all of us, women and men, to speak up.”
OUTRAGE
Just weeks before, the country had been shaken by the rape of a five-year-old girl by her 28-year-old relative.
Her attacker raped her anally, crippling her spine.
Doctors at the Aberdeen Women’s Centre in Freetown, which helps women and girls who have suffered from sexual violence and rape, said it was unlikely the child would ever be able to walk again.
The attack sparked outrage, with many people demanding that child rapists face a lifetime behind bars — calls echoed by President Julius Maada Bio himself.
“Let me be very clear: men who rape girls deserve to be jailed for life,” Bio said as his wife launched a campaign called “Hands off Our Girls”.
CHILDREN
Reports of rape and the sexual penetration of minors, as child rape is legally termed, have steadily increased, according to the Freetown-based Rainbo Initiative, which provides free medical services and counselling to victims of sexual and gender-based violence.
Figures collated by the centre show that in 2018, 76 percent of rape victims were aged 15 years or younger — including babies.
The rest of the victims were aged between 16 and 20.
And every month, an average of 149 victims fell pregnant as a result of rape.
“Children are brought to our centres in tattered clothes covered with blood stains,” executive director Daniel Kettor told reporters’.
In Freetown alone, there were 1,491 cases of sexual abuse reported between January and October 2018, with the youngest victim just seven months old and the oldest aged 85.
“Amongst the survivors, six were HIV-positive and 484 fell pregnant after being raped,” Kettor said.
Doctors at the centre examine the victims, looking for evidence of sperm specimens and blood stains around the genital area before providing them with a medical certificate which is necessary for police to open an investigation.
VIOLENT PAST
Those looking for an explanation of Sierra Leone’s rape crisis often turn to the country’s violent recent past.
During a 10-year civil war (1991-2001), thousands of women and girls were subjected to widespread and systematic sexual violence and rape, a 2003 Human Rights Watch report found.
In this pervasive environment, there has been little headway toward rooting out attitudes of sexual predation and prosecuting rapists.
“Sexual violence against women and girls is a prevalent and destructive practice that still has deep roots in the country, despite various initiatives to eliminate it,” Commissioner of Sierra Leone’s Law Reform Commission Rhoda Suffian-Kargbo Nuni told reporters’.
Many attacks go unpunished, and those that are reported often fail to end in indictments or make it through Sierra Leone’s judicial system, rights groups and police say.
Court records show that in 2018, only 26 rape cases were successfully prosecuted and led to a conviction.
COURT CASES
Some cases fail to make it to court due to a lack of adequate facilities to carry out DNA tests to secure the necessary evidence.
Others never get off the ground because the victims simply cannot afford the legal costs.
“The police have limited resources to investigate sexual and gender abuse,” says Superintendent Fatmata Daboh, who heads the Family Support Unit.
“Many cases are settled out of court or without going to trial due to the lack of a forensic science lab to prove evidence.
Sierra Leone’s Human Rights Commission in 2017 highlighted systemic failures, including “inefficiencies and corruption in the judicial system” for many cases being settled out of court or never going to trial.
TOUGHENED LAW
Legally, rape is a criminal offence which carries a jail term of between five and 15 years, according to the Sexual Offences Act of 2012 — a law that Sierra Leone reworked and toughened specifically to combat sexual predators.
But such sentences are rare.
In a high-profile case last year, a court in Freetown convicted a 56-year-old man of raping a six-year-old girl.
He got one year in jail.
The many failings have stirred anger and frustration — but also a desire for change.
“We are working on our law for strict punishment,” said Justice Minister Priscilla Schwartz. Appointed to the post in mid-2018, she too attended the protest marches.

Working in collaboration with project house Paradigm Project Management, DebTech is supplying its X-ray diamond recovery technology to the Tongo diamond mining project in Sierra Leone, currently being developed by Newfield Resources.
DebTech’s mature sorting technology is a dependable solution for high efficiency recovery of diamonds from a wide variety of kimberlite, marine and alluvial sources, capable of treating a material size range from 1 mm to 32 mm.
In this case, the dry unit – the CDX118CD – was specified for the West African project, featuring an eight-channel photo multiplier detection system capable of identifying all types of diamonds including low luminescence, yellow and boart.
“The appeal of the technology is its efficient diamond recovery with minimum gangue material, even at high feed rates,” says Gavin Alexander, products manager at DebTech.
“These rates can range from 825 kilograms per hour with material sized between 1 mm and 2 mm, to 4,5 tonnes per hour with material of 16 mm to 32 mm in size.”
Among the benefits of the system are its unique “dual wavelength” detection system and small installed footprint. It is capable of self-testing, while calibration can be conducted on-line.
“Designed to be operator-friendly and straightforward to maintain, the unit offers complete operator safety due to its improved features,” he says.
“It is specifically designed to enhance diamond security, and the compact sorting modules can be configured for higher throughput or for a double-pass process, as required.”
There are manual and automated inlet chute gate options available, with a robust air ejector system that ensures no loss of valuable stones.
Design is modular, compact and ergonomic, with left and right-hand variants available to suit.
The split cabinet design features a heat exchanger-cooled X-ray generator and power supply compartment with separate control and service panel configurations.
There is a single network interface for control and information, and DebTech ensures there is full maintenance support for customers, wherever they are on the globe.