By Nasratu Kargbo
The Speaker of Parliament has suspended three members of parliament from partaking in all proceedings until the parliamentary Committee on Privileges submits a report with recommendations on how to deal with their “misconduct” during a session of the House on 23rd November, 2022.
Dr. Abass Bundu announced a raft of measures against Aaron Koroma, Abdul Karim Koroma and Lahai Marah, all of the opposition APC, for their behaviour during the business of the House on the 30th November 2022. Along with the ban from participating in proceedings, all privileges, immunities, remuneration and allowances have been withdrawn from the three.
Dr. Bundu ruled that the Sierra Leone Police should not take any action against the MPs, to avoid double punishment but stressed “appropriate action shall be taken by the Sierra Leone Police against all the ‘strangers’ who participated in the disruption of the work of parliament”.
A two-week ultimatum was given to the MPs to pay the total sum of Le 380 million being the cost of property damaged during the incident in parliament. The Speaker noted that if the MPs failed to pay up within the stipulated time, “It shall be deducted from any gratuities due to them at the end of the life of this fifth parliament”.
The Speaker also ruled that “strangers” would no longer be allowed access to parliament’s gallery except with an official invitation from his office.
He said guests would be searched before given access and that they would not be allowed to enter parliament’s premises with mobile phones, drinks and food.
The Speaker condemned the disruption of parliament saying such an act was worthy of a severe punishment such as losing one’s status as a Member of Parliament, and withdrawal of privileges and immunities.
After the ruling the Deputy Speaker Sengehpoh Solomon Thomas said that such an act should not be repeated in parliament, noting that their constituents deserved better than the conduct that was demonstrated by the MPs on that day. He welcomed the ruling.
The chaos occurred on the 23rd November 2022. According to the Speaker, the pandemonium broke out after a heated argument presented by members of the opposition on why the two statutory instruments designed to give effect to the District Block Representative System that were brought to parliament by the Deputy Minister of Justice Umaru Napoleon Koroma ought not to have been laid before the House.
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