News

By Kemo Cham

Campaigners for an alcohol free Sierra Leone have commemorated this year’s World No Alcohol Day (WNAD) with calls for acceleration of efforts to introduce a policy to control the consumption and abuse of the substance.

The Sierra Leone Alcohol Policy Alliance (SLAPA), which comprises various civil society organizations, envisages a society free from alcohol and its attendant consequences.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Rights defenders have slammed the Sierra Leone parliament for seeking to silence critical voices, warning that its move goes against the spirit of democratic principles and threatens to revers gains made by the country in ensuring accountability in governance.

The Human Rights Defenders Network Sierra Leone (HRDNSL) on Friday expressed support for two civil society organizations which are under the spotlight for reports they authored pointing to the alleged prevalence of corruption in the House of parliament.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

Consumers of one of the most popular locally produced beverages – Sierra Juice – have expressed concern over safety of one of its products.

The Tropical flavor, which is one of the newest of the company’s products in the market, raised suspicion after its price was suddenly reduced. And a closer inspection revealed that it contains black particles.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The Government of Sierra Leone has said it will lessen its participation in the agricultural sector by pushing its role of providing agricultural input and other services to the private sector.

The private sector will now be in charge of providing fertilizer, machineries and even seeds to farmers. Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa announced the policy shift on Thursday during the opening day of policy hearings for the 2021 Financial Year Budget.

By Prince J Musa in Kenema

The National Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (NaMED) has urged local councils to align their project implementation with the highest operating procedure. Officials of the directorate said this will help in proper monitoring and evaluation.

NaMED officials were in Kenema last week where they engaged local council authorities in the eastern region on a document designed to help them execute their role accordingly.

By Francis H. Murray

The State Prosecutor in the preliminary investigations of Mariama Sajor Barrie and Ibrahim Bah, the two people accused of murdering five-year old Kadija Madinatu Saccoh, has closed his case before Magistrate Mark Ngegba in Freetown.

The decision came after the ninth prosecution witness, Alex Mohamed Nalo, a relative of the deceased, took the witness stand on Thursday 1st October 2020 to seal the prosecution’s case.

By Francis H. Murray

The judiciary of Sierra Leone has announced a couple of measures aimed at combating the spread of the Corona Virus pandemic ahead of the commencement of the general court sessions across the country.

Sittings at both Magistrate and High Court levels start today Monday. The new court calendar follows the end of the criminal sessions nationwide.