The Gambian Government confirmed for the first time last night that nine death row prison inmates had been executed, the first since President Yahyah Jammeh took over in 1994.
It followed a threat by the president on 20 August, marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, that all those on death row would be killed by mid-September this year.
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists has issued a statement urging radio stations to comply with payment of the Spectrum Fees to the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) or risk being shut down from 1 September.
The Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law – Sierra Leone (CARL-SL) has welcomed the enactment of the Sexual Offences Act 2012.
In a Press Release issued yesterday, the organisation said that it had called on Government in March to step up efforts on enacting both the Sexual Offences and Legal Aid Bills.
“The fact that both bills have now been passed into law is significant, and CARL-SL would like to commend the Parliament of Sierra Leone for its timely enactment of the Sexual Offences Act,” the release states.
The Northern Regional Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission has held a meeting with personnel of the Sierra Leone Police, Magburaka Division, according to a press release from ACC.
Speaking at the engagement, the Operations Officer, Inspector Ibrahim D. Kamara praised the ACC for their work. He said the Commission should be viewed as a friend of all since its vision was to make Sierra Leoneans live better and meaningful lives, which would be impossible where corruption was rife.
President of the Republic of Sierra Leone
State House
c/o The Secretary to the President,
State House
Freetown, Sierra Leone
CC: H.E. Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo
Minister of Information and Communications
8th Floor, Youyi Building, Brookfields
Freetown, Sierra Leone
c/o Kwame Yankson
Acting Deputy Secretary/Personal Assistant to the Minister
Freetown, 24 August 2012
RE: Freedom of Information Bill
Dear President Ernest Bai Koroma,
Both the United Nations and the Government of Sierra Leone have confirmed to Politico that the country’s worst cholera outbreak in 15 years has killed over 200 people since February, most of them in the last one month.
They also warn that nowhere may be safe from the epidemic.
The latest figures as provided by the UN World Health Organisation show that 218 have died and 12,148 cases have been reported, which means an average of five people dying daily.
Reports from Liberia say troops of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) and the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) of the Liberia National Police assigned at B’hai Town on the Liberian border with Cote d’Ivoire have appealed to government for logistical supplies and food. They have also expressed unhappiness over the manner in which they are being treated by the authorities.
Speaking to some Liberian journalists recently on condition of anonymity, the AFL soldiers alleged that they had not received their stipend for two months.
Supported by: Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA)
