Lawyers for Former President Ernest Bai Koroma have formally applied to the court to allow their client to travel to the Federal Republic of Nigeria on medical grounds. The court is now examining the veracity of the claim made by lawyers for the Former President. West African diplomats based in Freetown have disclosed that, in principle, the Sierra Leone government …

Before the end of December 2023, some local contractors were very optimistic about the government’s firm promise to settle a huge chunk of the verified domestic arrears owed them. However, they were deeply disappointed when they started getting all sorts of excuses from some senior officials in the Ministry of Finance including the Minister himself. In the beginning, they were …

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray arrived in Freetown yesterday, for talks with the Sierra Leonean government. Diplomatic sources confirmed that, the ECOWAS President is in Freetown to facilitate the temporal relocation of former President Ernest Bai Koroma to Nigeria. Some senior West African diplomats confirmed that, in December last year, the Sierra Leone government agreed …

His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio yesterday received and welcomed the new United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Madam Seraphine Wakana, who was appointed by Secretary General, Mr. António Guterres, in November 2023. The envoy, who was accompanied by the Senior Human Rights Advisor, Uchenna Emelonye, Peace & Development Advisor, Simonetta Rossi and Communication and Advocacy Lead, Osman …

𝐁𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐲. The first accused in the ongoing Court Martial hearing of 27 serving Military personnel, Staff Sergeant Alhaji Koroma of the 11th Battalion and with Force Number RSLAF 18171601 yesterday pleaded guilty to mutiny, communicating with the enemy, aiding the enemy, and failure to suppress mutiny, all contrary to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra …

𝐁𝐲 𝐒𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐚 Few months to his death in May 1988, former President Siaka Stevens requested his friend, The Gambian President, Sir Dauda Jawara, to allow him to travel to Banjul for medical treatment. His health had seriously deteriorated at the time. President Sir Dauda Jawara wrote a letter to President Joseph Saidu Momoh, asking him to graciously allow his …

𝐁𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐁. 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐲. Magistrate Santigie Bangura presiding over the ongoing treason Preliminary Investigation (PI) hearing against Amadu Koita and eleven other ex-military personnel has ordered for the appearance of the 8th accused, Bai Mamoud Bangura who is reported sick and hopitalised in Freetown. The matter came up yesterday at the Freetown Pademba Road Magistrate Court No.2, and with the …

𝐁𝐲 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐭 In a jubilant celebration that echoed through the heart of Kailahun town, Hon. Robin Faley, the dedicated coordinator of the community/citizens engagement unit at the Office of the Chief Minister, State House, received a hero’s welcome upon his return to Kailahun District. This joyous occasion marked not only a triumphant homecoming for Faley but also a …

On behalf of the President of Guinea Mamadi Doumbouya, Prime Minister @Bernard_Goumou recently led a high level delegation to Sierra Leone to thank @PresidentBio and commend the 15 Sierra Leoneans including myself who travelled to Guinea to provide support following the fire incident. I was awarded the Grand Officier de L’ordre National du Kolatier de la République de Guinée for …

𝐁𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐤𝐡 𝐌 𝐁𝐚𝐰𝐨𝐡. Last week’s publication by the leading Sierra Leonean Think Tank, the Institute of Governance Reform which highlighted amongst other issues people’s perception of what they thought might have motivated the recent coup makes an insightful reading. In the IGR study titled: Violence Entrepreneurs- Understanding the Actors and the Incentives behind the November 26 failed Coup”, five …