News

By Mabinty M. Kamara

The government continued its engagement with private sector players on Wednesday on the design and mapping out of plans for the implementation of the proposed student loan scheme.

The student loan scheme is an initiative of the Bio administration aimed at providing financial support for Sierra Leoneans seeking higher education.

A man carrying an illegal gun has been caught trying to sneak his way through the Mayorlor checkpoint in the Tonkolili district, early yesterday morning. The man who was named as Santigie Bai Koroma was found to be in possession of an AK 47 rifle together with twenty-two live rounds of ammunition that he had kept in a backpack he was carrying.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Sierra Leone has received its first batch of returnees from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On Sunday the country received 17 of its citizens who had clamored for their return following harsh livelihood conditions in the gulf state.

All those who returned on Sunday said they were relieved to be back home. The 17 are part of 58 returnees who opted to return. Their repatriation was facilitated by the Government of Sierra Leone through its Embassy in UAE and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

By Francis H. Murray

Defence lawyers representing thirteen people who police say were involved in the violent unrest in the city of Makeni have continued the cross-examination of investigating officer, Detective Police Constable 9268 Joseph Jay Collins before Magistrate Mark Ngegba in Freetown.

Being cross examined by lead defence lawyer, Wara Serry Kamal, the witness said on Monday 28^th September that he obtained statements from all the accused persons.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The accounting firm, Binder Dikker Otte (BDO), has rejected part of the report of the Commissions of Inquiry (COI) implicating it in the failure to transfer some US$ 52,347 of Ebola funds to the government’s account.

BDO was reacting to the just released Government White paper, which endorsed the part of the COI report and ordered the accounting firm to pay back the money into the consolidated revenue fund.

By Politico Staff Writer

The Ministry of Information and Communication has issued a Press Release advising Foreign Journalists to get accreditation from the Ministry before practicing in the country.

According to the statement which was released last Friday, some individuals claiming to be foreign journalists have been practicing in Sierra Leone and believed not to have any accreditation that would have authorized them to do their work.

By Prince J Musa in Kenema

The Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Memunatu Pratt, has urged traditional authorities to step up their efforts in the promotion of domestic tourism in their respective chiefdoms and region across the country.

Pratt was addressing stakeholders in the Eastern district of Kenema last week. She said the engagement was about finding ways to promote local tourism and ensure it contributes to the livelihood of rural people.