News

By Kemo Cham

The Sierra Leone media fraternity last week commemorated World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) with appeals for President Julius Maada Bio to fulfil his campaign promise and repeal the obnoxious Criminal Libel Law.

The law, which is part of the colonial era Public Order Act, criminalizes free speech, according to journalists and media rights campaigners, who also say it hinders their work in trying to hold duty bearers to account.

By Umaru Fofana

The ECOWAS Court of Justice will today hear the case filed on behalf of pregnant girls in Sierra Leone who were shut out of school following the Ebola outbreak in 2015 and more recently.

In May 2018, Equality Now, Child Welfare Society, WAVES and IHRDA challenged Sierra Leone's ban prohibiting pregnant girls from attending school. They want to secure a ruling that will lead to the scrapping of the barring of pregnant girls from attending school.  

By Mabinty M. Kamara

The diamond mining giant OCTEA is again in court over its operations in Sierra Leone.

This time residents living in communities affected by the activities of the company are seeking a court ruling over its role in the destruction of their environment and, consequently, their livelihoods.

The case was instituted by the Marginalized Affected Property Owners (MAPO), whose members comprises residents of Gbense and Tankoro chiefdoms, the two chiefdoms hosting OCTEA’s lucrative operations.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Lawyer Pa Momoh Fofanah has dismissed a statement by the Ministry of Lands accusing him of involvement in plot against the minister as “misleading”. 

On Wednesday the ministry released a statement alleging that the minister was attacked by a group of youths in Masimbo Village, Regent. In the same statement, Lawyer Fofanah was singled out as interfering in land disputes that are believed to have provoked the attack on the minister.

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

The high Court of Sierra Leone presided over by Justice Reginald Fynn has convicted the former Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure on one count of failing to disclose interest to a public body.

Abdul Barrie was ordered to pay a fine of Le250million within 30 days effective 24 April or face a three-year imprisonment to be spent at the maximum security Pademba Road Prison in Freetown.

By Mohamed T. Massaquoi

The management of the Pujehun Correctional Centre in southern Sierra Leone has confirmed the death by drowning of an inmate in the River Wanjei.

Mustapha Kpakawa reportedly drowned on April 22 and his body was discovered the following day with the help of some community herbalists. But while the prison authorities say he was trying to escape from detention, the general view on the ground is that he died while fetching water for the prison service.

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

Rights activists have called on the Sierra Leone government to investigate and prosecute a high profile rape case involving a Paramount Chief in the southern Bonthe district.