News

By Hajaratu Kalokoh

Former Vice President of Sierra Leone, Solomon Ekuma Berewa, has passed away. The family confirmed the news to Politico late on Thursday evening.

Berewa, 81, passed away at the Choitram Hospital in the capital Freetown, the family sources said. The family did disclosed the cause of his death, but Politico understands that he had been sick for some time now.

Berewa was the Attorney General (AG) before becoming Vice President in 2002, in the Ahmed Tejan Kabba-led administration.

By Mohmed Jaward Nyallay

Zimbabwean Islamic scholar, Mufti Ismail Ibn Musa Menk, has said he firmly believed in building bridges and uniting everyone in society.

He made the statement during a courtesy call to President Julius Maada Bio and his wife, Fatima Bio on Thursday.

Menk is in the country as part of his “Building Bridges” tour around the continent. This his second visit to the country.

By Hajaratu Kalokoh

A headcount exercise conducted by the government of Sierra Leone revealed that 37% of schools reported higher number of pupils in the Annual School Census (ASC), confirming a long held view that rogue school authorities give out bloated data to attract larger funding.

The headcount which was conducted between January and February 2020, was meant to validate the data from the school census conducted in 2019.

By Prince j Musa in Kenema

Police in Kenema say they are investigating three school girls who are suspected of involvement in cultism. All three pupils were busted by school authorities after a failed attempt to forcefully initiate another girl.

All the accused are pupils of the Methodist Secondary School in Kenema.

By Prince J Musa in Kenema

The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) have warned schools proprietors, missions and managers against interfering in the administrative management of their schools.

The education authorities made the call during a joint meeting in Kenema District last Tuesday.

By Francis H. Murray

Two teachers who were accused of involvement in examination malpractice by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) were arraigned on Wednesday for the first time before Justice Bintu Alhadi of High Court No. 5.

The teachers, Henry Kamara and Marion Kamara were arraigned alongside third accused Emmanuel Kobby, who is an IT Engineer. The teachers also double as agents for the West Africa Examination Council.

By Kemo Cham

In a bid to open up to the public on its activities, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Sierra Leone says it has established an information desk at its head office which will serve as a point of contact for people seeking such information.

The ACC said in a statement on Wednesday the idea was to provide information to members of the public on the Commission and the work of all its departments.