News

By Mabinty M. Kamara

Citizens across Freetown have expressed excitement over the move by President Julius Maada to relax the 10-hour curfew by two hours. The curfew is now from 11pm to 6am.

The move was announced on Tuesday at a special press briefing at State House, where the president also announced the relaxation of several other restrictions.

By Francis H. Murray

The treason trial of former Defense minister, Alfred Paolo Conteh and two others is set to move to State House today, being the scene of the alleged of crime.

The judge, Momojah Stevens and his clerk, all the members of the jury, and three members each from both the defense and prosecution will visit the office of the president, following an application from the defense counsel.

By Kemo Cham and Umaru Fofana

There has been an outpouring of outrage and consternation on social media over the death of a five-year-old girl as a result of a rape.

An autopsy report says Kadija Saccoh died as a result of complications from injuries she sustained after she had allegedly been raped multiple times.

Her name and image are being used because she is deceased and her family waived off her privacy and supplied us with her photos.

By Umaru Fofana

Fourteen senior military officers have been retired from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF). They include eight Generals among them the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt General Brima Bureh Sesay and the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, Major General DTO Taluva whose position has now been scrapped.

Six Brigadiers-General, including the head of the Navy, Commodore S. Kanu, have also been retired. The other Brigadiers are M.M Samoura, H.S Jomo, A. Bangura, U. Turay and A.K. Fefegula.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The central government has ordered the Freetown City Council (FCC) to halt a plan to roll out a new property tax regime, citing its potential effect on the livelihoods of the city’s inhabitants.

Asked whether he had blocked the implementation of the controversial policy, Minister of Local Government, Tamba Lamina said: “Yes I have!” He was speaking to Politico. 

By Mildrred Christiana Saccoh in Makeni

The Coronavirus pandemic has had a negative effect on the operations of the Blood Bank in Makeni, where officials say fear of contracting the virus as well as social distancing measures have kept potential donors away.

Alex Karim, Lab Technician in charge of the Blood Bank in the Regional Referral Hospital in Makeni City, said prior to Covid-19, turnout of voluntary donors had been “impressive”, noting that they had enough blood to provide anyone who needed it.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

In a bid to help fight against malaria in Sierra Leone, the United States government, through its embassy in the country, has handed over 290, 000 doses of malaria medicines to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.