March 21, 2016 By Hawa Amara
Sheiku Ngaojia and Alpha Sibbie were last Friday sentenced to one year imprisonment or alternatively pay a fine of one million Leones each after pleading guilty to the publication of a film titled “Tribal War: Mende VS Temne”, which the court said has the tendency to promote hostility among members of the two dominant tribes in Sierra Leone.
The two men were arraigned at the Freetown Magistrates’ Court No.1, presided over by Magistrate Dr. Abou Bhakarr M. Binneh-Kamara, on one count of false publication contrary to section 32(3) of the Public Order Act of 1965.
According to the particulars of offence, the convicts on Sunday, 21 February, 2016 published a movie titled: “Tribal War: Mende vs Temne” at Valentino Hall, Bo.
The duo pleaded guilty of the offence during their first appearance asked the magistrate to temper justice with mercy.
Magistrate Dr. Binneh-Kamara sentenced the movie makers to either one year imprisonment or payment of a fine of one million Leones each, and ordered that the movie be confiscated and destroyed.
The amateur movie received sharp rebuke from across the country, with the National Commission for Democracy condemning the duo for inciting tribal conflict in the post-conflict country.