News

By Aminata Phidelia Allie

After weeks of preliminary objections and banters between the defence and the prosecution, and a defence boycott over pay, the Court Martial has finally docked a witness in the on-going trial of 14 soldiers on mutiny allegations.

The first prosecution witness (PW1) yesterday testified about how he was ordered to look for three officers, whom, according to a certain Major Kallon, were wanted by the police.

By Bampia James Bundu

The new board chairman of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, SLBC, Festus Minah, has identified politics, political interference and lack of funding as major problems affecting the smooth running of the corporation.

By Mohamed T. Massaquoi

Residents of Pujehun have expressed concern over the district headquarters township road construction project contracted to T- Mark Company.

Chairman of the Pujehun District civil society coalition, Ibrahim Swaray told Politico that he had told the lands minister on a recent visit to Pujehun that the company lacked the "competency and equipment to construct the roads".

By Bampia James Bundu  

Minister of finance and economic development, Dr. Keifala Marah, has revealed that World Bank recently approved US$7million support to the government of Sierra Leone for social safety scheme.

Addressing journalists at the ministry’s conference room, the minister said the National Commission Social Action, NaCSA, would be in charge to disburse the funds to the poor and less privileged old people in four districts across the country.

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

A councillor of Ward 63 in Koidu has accused Paramount Chief Paul Garber Saquee V of Tankoro Chiefdom of "illegally selling" 30 metres of land to OCTEA Ltd "without consulting the chiefdom council."

Councillor Kai Lawrence Mbayo alleged that the recent extension of OCTEA’s mining concession by 30 metres to the centre of Tankoro Big Market came some four years after the chief also “illegally and  singularly added a 830-metre piece of land to the concession areas of the company.”

Sierra Leone's foreign minister, Dr Samoura MW Kamara on Monday 5 May, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash to discuss bilateral issues relating to the excellent relations existing between their two countries. The meeting was held in the presence of Abdulah Bin Abood Alnaqbi, Deputy of the Department of Africa Affairs.

John Benjamin

By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema

The former National Chairman and Leader of the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party, John Oponjo Benjamin (JOB) has declared to run for president in 2017.