May 17, 2017 By Kadrie Koroma

Deputy Health and Sanitation Minister II, Madam Zuliatu Cooper

Deputy Health and Sanitation Minister II, Madam Zuliatu Cooper, has officially opened a four-day 2017 Annual Conference and Scientific Symposium of the Sierra Leone Nurses Association (SLNA) on Thursday, May 11, 2017, at the Holy Trinity Parish Hall in Kenema.

Addressing the opening session, Madam Zuliatu Cooper described the role of nurses in reducing maternal and infant mortalities in Sierra Leone as timely, as the government of President Koroma has prioritized it as a flagship programme.

She informed her audience that the conference creates an opportunity to share issues and learn from best practice on the international stage, and hoped the week will move nurses forward collectively to ensure that every institution was doing more to fulfil its obligation to providing high quality nurses working with clinical colleagues in the right place, right time and right skills to provide the best health care available.

Madam Cooper reiterated that the conference also offers opportunity for nurses to look and share ongoing work to tackle the national issues in health human resources and the need for programmes to support each other to have a formidable workforce capacity.

The Deputy Minister stated that family planning is key if they were to reduce maternal and infant’s mortalities in Sierra Leone, by providing girls with just one extra year of schooling that can increase their wages as much as 20 percent.

She said to achieve the Agenda for Prosperity which addresses the provision of quality service delivery for all citizens, there was need for change of attitude for nurses, adding that as a ministry, they recognize the roles play by nurses and will continue to give support through the Directorate of Nursing Services and Human Resources respectively.

The Deputy Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, Matron Mary Fullah said nurses are celebrating the 194^th anniversary of a legend and icon, Florence Nightingale considered the founder of the modern nursing profession.

She reminded nurses that this is the time for them to go back to the ancient days of Florence Nightingale and meet the ideals to re-examine and rethink of how they practice their profession.

She told the gathering that the Ministry of Health is embarking on a lot of reforms to changing the image of nursing and improving on the health outcomes of the people, adding that nurses and midwives are expected to provide competency-based quality services at all levels with compassion, care, determination and dedication.

The President of the Sierra Leone Nurses Association, Mr. Senesie Magao speaking on the theme: “The Role of Nurses in Reducing Maternal and Infants Mortalities” described nurses as a force for change and encouraged them to demonstrate professionalism with passion, care and love in the discharge of their duties.

He said although there are challenges in the nursing profession, but wants to see staff works in the health facilities, receive members of the public with respect and dignity, and provide assistance with empathy.

Mr. Magao pleaded for better condition of services and motivation for nurses which will give them zeal and power to work in remote areas, and advocated for health staff to receive apathetic injection as it is in the increase in the sub region.

The Principal, National School of Midwifery and Chairperson for the opening session, Dr. Joan Shepherd said as nurses they need to be enrich to deliver quality, comprehensive and respectful care to women, the unborn child, newborns and the community as a whole.

She noted that midwifery is a specialized field that extends services to pregnant women, young adolescents and newborns, a responsibility for which nurses are charged with as they work closely with midwives in maternity settings.

Other highlights include statements from WHO Field Coordinator, Kenema, Dr. Mukesh Prajapati, the Chief Administrator, Kenema City Council, Vivian Senesie and the Dean, Eastern Polytechnic, Faculty of Nursing, Dr. Bockarie Vandi.

May 17, 2017

All roads lead to the Kono district headquarters town of Koidu as staff of the Board across the country and members of the Motor Drivers Union, Traders Council and Okada riders converge on the city on Saturday, 20 May, 2017 for the launch of the Legal Aid Board office.

“As usual, the office will be launched by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice (AG), Hon. Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara,” the Executive Director of the Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles said.

“The AG announced in Waterloo on May 6 that another Magistrate Court will be opened in the town after listening to concerns about the high crime rate and the statement from me regarding the high number of accused persons from Waterloo provided legal assistance by the Board in the Cline Town courts. We hope there will be a pleasant surprise for the people of Kono because the district shares similar challenges as Waterloo.”

According to Ms. Carlton-Hanciles, the launch of the offices would not be about politics, noting that the Board is an independent non-profit scheme and would remain -come rain or shine.

 “Our interest in inviting politicians to our launch is to ensure there is goodwill because at the end of the day the Board is a subvented institution,” she said.

The Legal Aid Lawyer for the District, Ibrahim Mansaray, has described the launch as an opportunity to showcase achievements since the establishment of the office in the District.

“I will use my statement at the launch to call on the Attorney General, donors and stakeholders in the justice sector to empower the office, so as to increase our services especially in the informal sector where harsh terrain is making monitoring very difficult,” Lawyer Mansaray said.

According to Ms. Carlton-Hanciles, the Board started operations in Kono in September, 2016,followed by securing of an office space, deployment of Lawyer Ibrahim Mansaray and recruitment of two Paralegals.

“For now, we are the only organization with a resident lawyer in the district,” Ms. Carlton-Hanciles said.

May 19, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura

Mohamed Kamara, Morlia Turay, Patrick Cole and twenty –two others would be sentenced today by Magistrate Dr. Abou Bakar Binneh-Kamara of court no.1,after being  found guilty on the offences of carrying offensive weapons without lawful authority and unlawful possession of cannabis sativa.

Count one of the two charges states that the accused persons were caught carrying offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse contrary to section 16 (1) of the Public Order Act No. 46 ofv1965, while count two states that they were arrested for unlawful possession of cannabis sativa contrary to section 48(1) of Pharmacy and Drug Act of 2001.

Magistrate Binneh-Kamara said the accused persons were found with vicious drugs and offensive weapons, ordering that they continue the ‘warming up’ exercise before their sentencing.

The accused persons were represented by Counsel A .K Kargbo, A Bah, J M Jengo and H A Kargbo.

May 19, 2017 

Head of Project Management Unit, MOYA Mohamed Sahid Koroma (SK)

While addressing a mammoth gathering of youth on Friday, 12 May, 2017, during the end of a week-long training on awareness raising on the newly introduced Toll Road system, linking Wellington and Masiaka, Head of Project Management Unit in the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Mohamed  Sahid Koroma, urged all to exhibit leadership skills as they undertake the exercise that would last for four months.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs in collaboration with the China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) would start implementing the Toll Road charges come July, 2017.

The exercise which commenced on Monday, 15^th May, 2017, would target road users including Vehicle owners, commuters, Drivers Unions, Motto Bike riders and other government agencies.

Koroma said as Head of the Project Management Unit, his responsibility was to ensure that the information flow to the least community and person.

The Head of Project Management Unit said his encounter over the past few days showed that there were people for and against the Toll Road system, which development, he said, was always the case as not everybody will accept the same situation.

He said it was unfortunate that some people were opposed to the system that  also operates in some African and European countries, wherein people were now accustomed to paying toll charges.

He said the government of Sierra Leone was not able to endure the cost of the project, hence contracted the China Railway Seventh Group.

He added that since the company is running a business, they needed to get their money back.

 During the awareness raising exercise, he informed youth that they would encounter hostile responses from certain quarters, because the exercise has some political ramifications.

He said people most times refuse to comply with tax system because they are not properly sensitized, hence it behooves the youth to pass on the message and change the mindset of people.

…Witness testifies

May 19, 2017 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma

Minkailu Sesay, first prosecution witness in the ongoing preliminary investigation of the murder matter involving one Yealie Sama, who allegedly murdered her husband, Alhaji Mustapha Sama, yesterday, testified in court that, the deceased was stabbed to death by the accused.

The accused was before Magistrate Dr. Abou Bhakarr Binneh-Kamara  of Freetown Court No.1, to answer to a count charge of murder contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.

The prosecution had alleged that the accused, who got married to the deceased-Alhaji Mustapha Sama, on 5th March, 2017, murdered her newly wedded husband on Monday 3rd April, 2017, at No. 20 Kissy Brook in the east end of Freetown.

In his testimony, Minkailu Sesay, who introduced himself as a tenant to the deceased, said he knew the deceased and accused, recalling the day of the incident.

 “On the above date, I was in my room at around midnight when I overheard the deceased screaming. I opened the door and went to his apartment where I met the accused standing by the door. She was wiping her hands, which was soiled with blood,” he testified.

He noted that he asked the accused as to why the deceased was screaming, but she refused saying anything.

“When I switched-on my phone light, I saw two knives in the bedroom, soiled with blood. I asked the accused what had went wrong, but she remained silent,” he testified

He told the court that when he penetrated the light to the ground, he saw some drops of blood, noting that he traced the drops till he met the deceased lying dead by the step of the house.

“I immediately reported the matter to the police who later went to the scene and collected the remains of the deceased. They also arrested the accused. On the following day, I was invited to make statement to the police and I did,” he told the court.

May 17, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr  

Sierra Leone’s Olympian …Ismail Dudu Kamara

Sierra Leone’s Olympian, Ismail Dudu Kamara on Tuesday clocked 10.75 sec in the 100m dash at the Islamic Solidarity Games to slash his 10.79 sec speed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by four second.

Kamara finished fifth in the Men’s 100m round 1, Heat 5 to grab one of the available four fastest qualifying  time to reach the semi-finals. Despite beating his Rio Olympic time in round 1, Kamara could not progress from the semi-finals, after finishing in seventh position with 10.93sec in Heat 2.

The Sierra Leonean sprinter was ranked 19 out of 22 sprinters in the 100m dash. Meanwhile, Kamara’s compatriot, Dolly Mustapha, also qualified to the Women 100m semi-final, with a Personal Best (PB) 12.06sec.

Like her male counterpart, Dolly Mustapha was unable to reach the finals, following a poor display in the semi-finals Heat 2, clocking 12.15sec behind Zakiyya Hasanova of AZE, Iman Essa of Bahrain and Turkey’s Mizgin Ay.

Also, Mariatu Koroma missed the 100m qualification time by 2 secs after she clocked 12.42 sec and in 800m women, Khadija Mariama Conteh run a time of 2:14:97sec.

In the Mens 400m, 2010 India Commonwealth and 2015 Congo All African Games participant Bockarie Sesay failed to progress from his Heat 2 finishing with 49.82sec. He was ranked 18 above Messoud Messoud Mauratian and Lansana Sylla of Guinea respectively in the overall classification.

The day ended at the filed, as Paralympian George Wyndham competed in the Shot Put F56 event and finished eight out of nine. Wyndham recorded 6.03 in his first attempt before making progress to 6.30 in his second and fall to 6.28 in his third and 6.22 in his fourth. He recorded his best throw in sixth attempt with 6.71 to settle for 230 points.

May 18, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr

Sierra Leone’s sprint trio, Ismail Dudu Kamara, Bockarie Sesay and Dolly Mustapha on Wednesday were unable to make it to the 200m finals at the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan.

After missing a place in the 100m finals on Tuesday, Ismail Dudu Kamara again failed to get past the semi-finals in the 200m Heat 3, finishing fifth place with 21.70sec. Guyana 2012 Summer Olympic flag bearer, Winston George, topped the heat with 21.11sec, followed by Turkish Izzet Safer in second with 21.17sec

Kamara made it to the semi-finals after finishing in what was classed as the fastest heat in Round 1 to secure a Personal Best (PB) time of 21.61sec.

Meanwhile, Bockarie Sesay,  who also made it to the semi-finals after finishing third in Round 1 Heat 5 with 23.45sec, was disqualified in Heat 2 of the semi-finals after breaching the International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) 163.3B rule.

The said IAAF rule reads: “In all races (or any part of races) not run in lanes, an athlete running on a bend, on the outer half of the track as per Rule 162.10, or on any curved part of the diversion from the track for the steeplechase water jump, shall not step or run on or inside the kerb or line marking the applicable border (the inside of the track, the outer half of the track, or any curved part of the diversion from the track for the steeplechase water jump).”

In the female category, young Dolly Mustapha finished top of her Heat 2 Round one, with an outstanding display to record a PB of 42.61sec in of the 200m. However, despite reducing her time in the semi-finals to 24.58sec, Mustapha was unable to reach the finals as he finished sixth places in the semi-final Heat 1.

May 18, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr

CELEBRATION TIME… Rasmus Lindgren & Alhassan ‘Crespo’ Kamara celebrates Photo: fotbollskanalen

A goal from Sierra Leone international, Alhassan ‘Crespo’ Kamara and Rasmus Lindgren fired BK Häcken to third place in the Swedish Allsvenskan league table after 2-1 win over Halmstad on Wednesday.

The home side started the match in an offensive approach that saw two of Paulinho Guerreiro’s shot just wide but it was the visitors, who grabbed the lead, thanks to Fredrik Olsson  35 minutes goal.

Halmstad lead only last for short term as the Sierra Leone international was quick to level things up for the home side in the 42 minutes from Paulinho assist. The strike was Kamara’s fifth in in 9 games this season.

After the recess, Häcken’s continue to press on until Captain Rasmus Lindgren sealed the win for them in the 56′ minutes.

Elsewhere, Abu Suma was introduced in 62 minutes as his IFK Frej side suffered 2-1 defeat away to Trelleborg FF in the Superettan.

May 19, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr

Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) and the Ministry of Sports have on Thursday, May 18, 2017, named and unveiled John Kesiter as the new coach of the country’s senior national team, Leone Stars.

The former Sierra Leone international has been handed the responsibility to take full charge of the national team until the end of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, while his assistant coach, who is also a former Leone Stars international, Abubakarr Tostao Kamara, will take full charge of the home based Leone Stars.

According to the SLFA General Secretary, Chris Kamara, decision to appoint the former Walsall, Shrewsbury Town, Stevenage and Chester City midfielder, was taken by both the F.A Technical department and the Executive Committee of the SLFA.

“My appointment is a dream comes true. We have a massive job to qualify the team to Nations Cup finals, a task we must work very hard to achieve,” Keister said, as he admitted it was an emotional day for him.

The 46-year-old has served as Leone Stars assistant coach to three foreign managers – Swede Lars Olof Matsson, Northern Irishman- Johnny Mckinstry and later Ghanaian -Sellas Tetteh.

He said: “Working with three foreign coaches has given me the experience and knowledge to be in this position. The task given to us is about result and points and we must work together as a team to achieve that.”

Keister had previously served as head coach of the Leone Stars home based team, as well as the Sierra Leone under-17 and under-23 national teams. He was capped 16 times for Sierra Leone between 1997 and 2003 and made his debut in 1997 against Morocco in Freetown.

The other members of the new look Sierra Leone national and home-based teams include; Abubakarr Tostao Kamara Amidu Karim, John Sama, John Junior Konneh, Prince Tamba Moses, Philph Kor.

May 19, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr

From left to right…Junior Konneh, Prince Tamba Moses,Abu Bakar Tastao, John Kesiter, John Sama & Amidu Karim

Minister of Sports, Ahmed Khanou, on Thursday, May 18, gave 24-hrs ultimatum to the newly appointed and unveiled coaches of the Sierra Leone senior national team, Leone Stars and the home-based national team.

In a strong statement, the Sports Minister asked each and every appointed coach to submit not less than two pages motivational letter to be summited on his desk within 24 hours.

“In the next 24 hours, you all need to send in not less than two pages motivational letter, because this will be used to judge your work,” Minister Khanou said.

“The long quest to see homegrown coaches lead the national team is now over. You must see this as a challenge and it is a challenge you must face with all might and integrity. Take the bull by the horn and help qualify the team to the 2019 African Cup of Nations in Cameroon,” the Sports Minister said.

President of the Sierra Leone Football Association, Isha Johansen, who congratulated the coaches, said they should consider their appointment not for themselves but for the entire nation, adding that their tasks and responsibilities were for the seven million Sierra Leoneans.

Despite not disclosing details of the coaches’ contract, the Director of Sports, Ibrahim Bangura, admitted that the new coaches will all be treated the same like the foreign coaches.

“These coaches will all be treated the same like the foreign coaches we have had,” Bangura said.

May 17, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr

President of National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone (NOC-SLE), Dr. Patrick Coker on Tuesday applauded Sierra Leonean athletes who competed in the just concluded West Africa Region II Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Senior and Junior Championships in Conakry, Guinea.

Sierra Leone secured 18 medals at the championship, an achievement that pleases the NOC-SLE boss who admitted that: “It pleases me to see people (athletes) not only returning home but also coming back with medals.”

Addressing the delegation, Dr. Coker said despite the athletes were competing against others under the most difficult condition, he was willing and ready to support people who are performing well.

“You are not getting the supports because the President of Athletes Association is my Vice President at the NOC but because you are performing well and that my condition if people perform well they will get my support,” Dr. Coker said.

Sierra Leonean athletes won 12 bronzes, five silvers while youngster Fatamata Koroma from Makeni outstanding 11.03sec display in the 100m women to give the country’s its only gold in the championship.

Vice President of Sierra Leone Athletics Association, Emric Cole pleased to the NOC-SLE for more assistance to expose the athletes to training camps. He said: “We competed against athletes from different training camps and it was very difficult for our athletes. If there is no opportunity for them to go to training camps the alternative is improve training back home with more funds.”

The NOC-SLE Secretary General, Joseph Nyande admitted that during their recent journey to Dubai and Djibouti, they engaged in talks with other Nations to help them have Sierra Leonean athletes in their respective training camps.

May 19, 2017 By Sahr Morris Jnr

Minister Khanou ready to reposition sports for sustainable development

The highly anticipated and long awaited Sierra Leone national sports development conference, would start today Friday and would run until Saturday, May 19, 2017, at the newly refurbished Siaka Steven Stadium Atlantic Hall in Freetown.

With the theme: ‘Repositioning Sports for Sustainable Development’, the two-day confab is expected to host over 250 delegates from sporting disciplines, journalists, athletes, government officials, fans and other related stakeholders from across the country.

According to the Minister of Sports, Ahmed Khanou, the earlier conducted nationwide tours helped them received additional information and contributions to the proposal of reforming the country’s sport sector.

He said: “Those proposals have been put together and the outcome of which are four documents- the reviewed 2015 Policy that was passed in cabinet by the former Minister of Sport, Paul Kamara, a proposal to reform the directorate of sports, a proposal of sport governance (the ethical sport governance arena) and the role out plan.
“Because we believe that the process cannot be concluded without notifying the general public that is why we are hosting the conference for validation.”

Khanou said Sierra Leone has never had an entire remodeling of sports to an international standard but deliberation from the conference will allow sportsmen and women to stop participating, but rather competing in international games and help in rebranding sports in the country.

Attendance dwindles

May 22, 2017 By Elizabeth A. Kaine

Cooking utensils previously used to prepare meal at Dr.SM Broderick Primary School in Freetown

A survey conducted by Concord Times in various government and government assisted primary schools across Freetown to ascertain the sustainability of the school feeding programme has revealed that attendance in schools has fallen dramatically as a result of the sudden halt of the scheme.

“Some pupils have stopped coming to school especially on the days allotted for the feeding programme. We are urging government to resume the programme as the children have been accustomed to it,” said Madam Alice Coker, Head teacher of Buxton Girl’s Primary School.

The school feeding programme was one of several sub programmes under the President’s Recovery Priorities (PRP), which sought to provide local meal for about 1.2 million primary school children twice a week-Tuesdays and Thursdays. However, the scheme has not been materialized since school re-opened two weeks back.

But the Director of National School Feeding Programme, Silvester Mehuex, told Concord Times in a telephone interview that, the programme would kick off this week and that they were busy rectifying some documentation with regards bank accounts of various schools, which, he said were faulty.

“We have presented all bank accounts to the Ministry of Finance and the school feeding would start come next week,” he said.

Head teacher of Buxton Girl’s Primary School, Madam Alice Coker, and expressed serious concern with regards the ‘indefinite’ suspension of the feeding programme.

She noted that over the past weeks, her school recorded low   attendance due the halt of the feeding programme.

She stated that school feeding can improve attendance and retention rates, and that it enables children to be more active and receptive to learning, thus reiterating call for its revival.

Madam Coker said she was finding it difficult to answer the many questions from pupils, who were curious to know about the fate of the school feeding programme.

“Most pupils are not staying with their parents, so they find it difficult to come to school with empty stomach. With the inception of this programme, the number of pupils in our schools has been growing, so halting it will discourage many from attending,” she said.

On her part, Madam Patricia J. Cooper, Head Teacher of the Christ Church Primary School said  since schools re-opened they have been waiting on government to confirm as to whether the feeding programme would continue, and that they had hoped for an increase in the funds provided to implement the project,  as the previous one was not enough to cater for all the pupils.

“We will wait on government for further information, as you know, we are not doing it on our own,” she said.

However, Madam Agnes M. Jalloh, Head Teacher of Dr. S. M. Broderick Municipal School, applauded government for the initiative, but noted that they were hoping the programme would continue.

She said though the funds were not enough but would help to keep children in schools, adding that government was yet to tell them anything with regards the continuity of the programme.

“We are really confused as to what is going on, because government has not update us on the progress of the programme. Hungry children can’t learn. By providing them with a midday meal, we can keep them in school and they are more likely to be alert and focused on learning. Pupils were accustomed to truancy but that was subsided since the inception of the feeding programme,”she noted.

Fatmata B. Jalloh, a class six pupil from the Buxton Memorial Primary School, explained that the food was major influence on her frequently attending school on a daily basis, but expressed frustration due to the sudden halt.

She said on Tuesday morning after preparing for school, she took along plate and spoon for the meal, but to her greatest surprise, “there was nothing to eat that afternoon after standing in a queue for long.”

“It was a shock to all of us that there was no food after we had hoped for it on the Tuesday when school re-opened,” she said.

May 22, 2016 By Memunatu Bangura

Principal Magistrate of Freetown court No. 1, Dr. Abou Bakar Binneh-Kamara, has  last Thursday granted bail to one Alhassan Bangura and Damba Koroma in the sum of eight million United States Dollars and five sureties in like sum.

The accused persons were charged on one counts of conspiracy contrary to law.

The prosecution also alleged that the accused persons on diverse dates between April, 2011 and December 2016, at Adonkia, Goderich village, conspired together with others unknown and obtained the sum of seven million United States Dollars from one Ghanaian national, Fitnat Omari Ababio, with the pretext that they have quantity of diamond and gold for sale, knowing same to be false.

Magistrate Binneh-Kamara said the accused must produce five sureties and five title deeds of realities in Western Area and must produce a national passport or identity card, while bail must be approved by the Master and Registrar.

May 22, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura

Magistrate Dr.Abou Bakar Binneh-Kamara of Court No.1, has on Friday, 19th May, 2017, sentenced Musa Rogers, Morlai Turay, Patrick Cole, Alfred J Kanu, David Aliah and twenty others to four months imprisonment or alternatively pay a fine of seven hundred thousand Leones each.

“The convicts are sentenced to four months imprison or pay a fine of four hundred thousand Leones on count one and four months imprison or pay a fine of three hundred thousand Leones on count two each. I so ordered,” he said.

The twenty -five convicts were charged for carrying offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse contrary to section 16 (1) of the Public Order Act No. 46 of1965 and unlawful possession of cannabis sativa contrary to section 48(1) of Pharmacy and Drug Act of 2001.

The accused persons were represented by Lawyer A. K Kargbo, A Bah, J .M Jengo, H A Kargbo and Julius  N. Cuffie.

Earlier, defense counsel, Julius N.Cuffie, pleaded with the Bench for mercy and begged that they be saved from custodian sentence.

“Pleading guilty has also deprived them of basic benefits as Sierra Leoneans, because of the criminal report,” Lawyer Cuffie said.

He said the convicts have been incarcerated for two weeks and have not wasted the court’s time in admitting to the offences as charged, adding that the magistrate should caution and discharge them.

-says Country Director of BBC Media Action

May 22, 2017 By Ibrahim Tarawallie

Country director of BBC Media Action has stated that the use of social media allows for the actualization of certain fundamental human rights, especially the right to access information.

George Ferguson was speaking on Friday (May 19) at a training organized by his organization in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) for Editors and Station Managers on the use of social media.

The training in the SLAJ conference room provided senior journalists from across the country, an insight with regards the use of social media and how they could apply the Code of Practice of the Independent Media Commission (IMC) and editorial values to social media content.

According to Mr. Ferguson, social media is a new technology that is very powerful and can be used in a positive and negative ways by thousands of users.

While stressing the importance of learning about the technology, especially the social media use and understanding how it works, he noted that the training was part of the process of having people to know the issues associated with  social media.

“Social media allows for the actualization of certain fundamental human rights. It is a platform where people express their opinions. As journalists, we need to look at these issues seriously and it is important to engage the government on their concerns about the use of social media. Sierra Leone has a good reputation of certain democratic values. There are opportunities that social media offers,” he stated.

Mr. Ferguson opined that it was obvious that  government was concerned  with the use of  social medi,noting that  any government across the world should have concerns, because social media sometimes has issues that have to do with hate speech and offensive comments.

Also speaking was the President of SLAJ, Kelvin Lewis, who welcomed the training, saying that it was a way of starting the conversion as to why social media should not be banned even though there are issues that needed to be addressed.

He said SLAJ has a responsibility of protecting and promoting free speech, hence the training was timely to educate journalists about the do’s and don’ts of using social media.

“This is a way of starting the conversion about social media. We know from the government side they are concern about national security. Social media is new and there are lots of issues that needed to be addressed,” he said.

According to him, he has had course to go to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters on several occasions, trying to secure the release of journalists, who were detained for what they post on Whatsapp and other  social media.

May 22, 2017 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma

Magistrate Dr.Abou Bakar Binneh-Kamara of Court No.1 has sentenced one Ibrahim Deem Zubam to three years imprisonment or alternatively pays a fine of five million Leones to the State and five million Leones to the complainant.

Ibrahim was standing trial on one count charge of obtaining money by false pretence, contrary to section 32 (1) of Larceny Act 1961.

Inspector Bah had alleged that the convict sometimes in the month of February 2015, at four mile, Newton, obtained the sum of seven million, three hundred thousand Leones from Edward Ibrahim Kargbo by falsely pretending that he had one and a half town piece of land for sale, knowing the same to be false.

May 22, 2017 By Memunatu Bangura

First Prosecution Witness (PW1), Sheka Kargbo, has on Thursday testified before Magistrate Dr. Abou BakarBinneh-Kamara of court No.1, in the ongoing murder matter involving one Sinneh Sesay, Abu Bakar Sesay, Sherrif G Sesay, Ibrahim and Alhaji D Conteh, who allegedly murdered one Tom Davies Jr.

The accused were charged with two count charges of conspiracy and murder contrary to law and the prosecution had alleged that on Thursday, 30th March, 2017, at Upper Tengbeh town, they conspired together with others unknown to commit a felony to wit murder and on the same date murdered one Tom Davies Jr.

Sheka identified the accused persons as his neighbours and recalled on the day of the incident.

He testified that he was at home with the deceased when both saw off a friend who paid them visit.

He said on their way home, they saw the 1st, 2nd and 5th accused who told them that they (the accused) had finished misbehaving in their house.

He continued that they went home while the deceased left for night classes, but returned and informed him that his bag had been seized by the 1st, 2nd and 5th accused persons.

 He said they went to retrieve the said bag but saw the 2nd accused holding a bottle and a knife.

“They refused to give us the bag and promised to burn it. One Jeremiah was holding the bag, while Abu was holding a bottle and a knife,” he said.

PW1 stated that when the accused persons refused to hand over the bag, they attempted to leave the scene, when Jeremiah slapped him in the face and knocked him down on the ground.

He testified that the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th accused persons attacked the deceased and held on to him tightly from his back.

“It was the 2nd accused person (Abu) that stabbed him on his chest with a knife,” he said.

He further explained that the deceased shouted his name (Sheka) and ran in pain, with blood oozing from his chest.

He added that he followed the deceased, while the 1st, 3rd and 5th accused persons were chasing him.

 “I hid myself in a ‘Pan body’ house where I overheard them shouting Tom has died. After they left, I came from where I was hiding and saw Tom laying in a pool blood,” he testified.

He added that he reported the matter to the police while the deceased was taken to Connaught hospital, where he eventually died.

The accused persons were refused bail and sent to Male Correctional Centre, while the matter was adjourned to 26th May, 2017.

May 22, 2017 By Regina Pratt

 Some of the winning prizes

Two agents of the Western Union Money transfer- Union Trust Bank and First International Bank, have organized the ‘Better Life’ promotion to empower their customers.

The two agents thought about the dreams of some of their customers as a way of empowering them through their mid-year promotion by sending and receiving money through the Western Union Money Transfer from relatives, friends and loved ones at home and abroad.

The Better Life promotion of customers started from 1^st April and ended on 12^th May, 2017, with 32 customers emerging as winners .The winners would receive sewing machine and 2 piece cotton materials, laptop and 3-in-one printer, scanner and photocopy and generator.

At a short ceremony held at Chartar House, Western Union Advertising Agent office at Wellington Street, Manager Osman Conteh, said the promotion was also held in other counties in the sub-region and beyond.

He said everyone has a dream and that Western Union was trying to actualize the dream of its customers, to empower them by dishing out prizes that would make them self-employed.

He further said the objective of the promotion was to ensure their customers and enable them get some source of income that would improve their lives.

Miltona Josephine Andrews, Western Union supervisor, congratulated the winners and called on them to continue doing business with Western Union Money transfer and cautioned them to use their winnings to transform their lives as per the dictate of the promotion- Better Life.

FIB Eileen Nelson-Streeter noted that Western Union was putting smiles on the faces of customers, to actualizing their dreams and at the same time improving their lives with ‘Better Life’ promotion.

SLBC Daniel Moseray and Abdul Tejan-Cole, who moderated the raffle draw, encouraged winners to continue doing business with Western Union, noting that the two banks- UTB and FIB thought of their dreams, which have now become reality as 32 customers won sewing machine with cotton fabric, generator, laptop with 3-in-one photocopy, scanner and printer.

MD assures quality service to customers 

May 24, 2017 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma

Managing Director of Orange, a telecommunication a company that has taken over Airtel Sierra Leone has assured of providing quality mobile service to their customers in the country.

Sekou Drame made the promised yesterday during the official launch of the company’s promotion titled: “Ramadan Babalaa promo”.

“Since 19^th July, 2016, we have been part of an international telecommunication group which has one of the strongest presences in Africa and a strong commitment to Africa’s development. We have presence in twenty-one countries with more than twenty-one thousand local employees,” he said.

He claimed that one out of ten Africans is an orange customer and that they have one hundred and ten million customers.

According to him, the company’s ambition is to provide a unique and exceptional experience to all their stakeholders both internally and externally.

He highlighted customer experience, quality of service, employee development, profitable growth and corporate social responsibility as their main priorities.

“We do business with the core values of transparency, responsibility and innovation. We will be relying on the existing expertise in Sierra Leone but also that of Orange and SONATEL groups so as to build the best networks, enhance product portfolio and quality of service to customers,” Drame added.

He disclosed that they were currently in the middle of the execution of the modernization plan, which will bring a permanent fix to some glitches they have in their network.

“Our new towers will be soon seen around the country and thousands of Sierra Leoneans, who do not have access to mobile services now, will benefit. We will keep playing an active role in the area of corporate social responsibility,” he said.

Also, Revenue & Market Planning Manager, Abibatu Junisa said the holy month of Ramadan is a special time for their customers which is tied to religious belief and African values.

“Airtel will accompany their customers during this special journey in the Ramadan month. We want to show all our valued customers that we love them, and wish to be beside them during the blessed journey,” she said.

He stated that they decided to launch the promotion, comprising daily gifts, weekly gifts and a final unbelievable gift.

“The promotion will run from the 23^rd  May to 30^th June 2017. in order to qualify for the promotion, customers should buy credit, data, send and receive money through the Airtel Money system or buy a new sim card and use it,” he explained.

He continued that daily winners will be given food items with fifteen lucky winners taking home two million Leones (Le2,000,000) each in the weekly draw.

Madam Junisa disclosed that at the end of the promotion, three lucky customers will be sponsored by Orange to perform this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca.

She added that like always they will be distributing food stuffs to selected mosques in Freetown and the provinces respectively, as well as donations to the homeless.