News

By Joseph Lamin Kamara

A Guinean court has sentenced to life in prison 11 people for murdering people who were educating villagers about dangers of contracting Ebola, State Prosecutor William Fernandez is reported to have said on Wednesday.

Fernandez had requested death penalty for the culprits.

By Aminata Phidelia Allie

Civil Society Organizations in Sierra Leone have challenged President Ernest Bai Koroma`s release of two female Kono detainees, referring to it as “discriminatory” against the men since they were all arrested and detained at the same time and for the same reasons.

In a press release issued on Monday, April 20, the Center for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) and AdvocAid, said men and women had the same rights and so it was discriminatory to release the women while the men were still being held in custody.

Chinese steel giant Shandong Iron and Steel Group has acquired the remaining 75 per cent stake in the Tonkolili iron ore mine from mining giant African Minerals Limited (AML), reports Tuesday indicated.

The deal involving over $170 million reportedly increased the Chinese`s control on the vast iron ore resources in Sierra Leone`s Tonkolili District to 100%. It also means Shandong will assume control of AML`s associated infrastructure company African Port and Railway Services, a press release by the Shandong-based steel manufacturer said.

By Mustapha Sesay

Former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Mani Koroma, on Tuesday informed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in parliament that the minister of Education and his deputies were yet to account for overseas travel expenses in 2013.

He was reacting to issues of non-documentation of allowances and other travel expenses which were raised in the 2013 audit report presently before The House for discussion. Koroma said there were no supporting documents to explain how certain amounts of monies were expended in that year.

By Bampia James Bundu

Director of Community Relations in the Sierra Leone Police, Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Chris Charlie, has urged all police personnel to respect the rule of law and work within the ambit of the SLP mandate.

He was speaking in connection to an incident last week involving ASP Marie Jalloh, a situation akin to police misconduct. The female officer, reportedly, unlawfully arrested and detained a passenger because he failed to disembark from a vehicle when asked to do so by the officer.

By Mustapha Kamara Jnr

An aspiring flag bearer of the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP), Franklin Rogers, has called for reconciliation over issues centered on the sacking of Chief Samuel Sam-Sumana as the country’s Vice President.

Sam-Sumana was sacked by President Ernest Bai Koroma as VP last month, following his expulsion from the ruling All Peoples’ Congress party. Victor Bockarie Foh was subsequently appointed and sworn-in into the office of the Vice President by the President.

By Aminata Phidelia Allie

The administration of Fourah Bay College, one of the constituent colleges of the University of Sierra Leone (USL), has reacted to last week`s ultimatum issued by the Academic Staff Association (ASA). ASA is demanding the management of the college meets certain of its demands within 21 days or risk an industrial action.

The management said it would have ignored the ASA press release dated 14^th April since it was not addressed to the University of Sierra Leone.