News

By Prince J. Musa in Kenema. 

As part of measures to curb the spread of Coronavirus in the country, Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Anthony Augustine Sandi, has warned commercial bike riders to be aware of the health status of their passengers.

"Bike riders must stop transporting people whom they don't know their health status, especially sick people, as they are one of the agents that transmit illness quickly. Anybody caught doing such should be dealt with appropriately," he said.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) has announced a new plan to teach children whiles they are at home. The plan which is expected to come into effect next week, comes amidst the early closure of schools to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The chairperson of the commission, Dr Staneala Beckley, announced the plan on Wednesday at their monthly press briefing.

By Francis H. Murray

A cross section of Civil Society Organizations working on land governance and land related issues in Sierra Leone have called for a dialogue with the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh.

The proposed meeting, according to five Civil Society Organizations who made the demand, is to chart the way forward in resolving the overdue land dispute in Sahn Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District, which has caused many unrests in the region.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

Magistrate Abdulai Sheriff of the Pademba Road Magistrate Court No. 3 has committed the case of an alleged rape of a 13-year-old deaf and mute girl to the high court.

Magistrate Sheriff has presided over the case for the last one month as part of preliminary investigations.

The accused, Joseph Samuel Bassie, is facing a charge for sexual penetration of a child below the age of 18, contrary to section 19 of the sexual offences Act of 2012 as replaced by sections 4 of the sexual offences Act of 2019.

By Francis H. Murray
Justice Sengu Koroma of High Court No 1 has overruled the application of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) for a change of Judge in the ongoing Parliamentary election petition cases, over lack of enough evidence.
Justice Koroma in his ruling on Wednesday said that there was no evidence put before the court by counsel of the plaintiffs suggesting the involvement of Justice Ansumana Ivan Sesay in any political activity of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) after his appointment by President Julius Maada Bio.

By Kemo Cham

The Medical and Dental Association of Sierra Leone (MDASL) says the measures so far being put in place by the government in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic aren’t adequate, and it is suggesting drastic measures.

The Council, in what it calls its position statement on the situation, is calling for an extension of the planned lockdown to 14-days, arguing that the three days intended by the government wouldn’t be enough.

By Kemo Cham

A whole class of over 50 medical students are feared to have been exposed to the coronavirus disease (covid-19) after coming into contact with the latest confirmed case of the virus in the country, Politico learnt.

The student representative council of the College of Medicine and Allied Health Science raised the alarm in a letter seen by Politico on Thursday, appealing to the relevant authorities to take several measures to help the students and prevent possible further transmission of the virus into the general population.