News

By Kemo Cham

There has been an outpouring of anger and consternation in the southern district of Pujehun where activists are calling for investigation into the death of a patient at the Government Hospital due to “negligence.”

Mammie Sesay, 19, a pregnant woman in labor, reportedly died after she was allegedly abandoned by the hospital staff even though she had just undergone surgery.

By Hajaratu Kalokoh

The Secretary General of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) has been cleared by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) which investigated him over suspected abuse of office.

Mr Osman Foday Yansaneh was investigated for his activities when he served as Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to Ghana from November 2007 – August 2015, during which period he was also responsible for Burkina Faso and Togo. The politician was accused of receiving salary even though he abandoned his duty and permanently resided in Freetown. 

By Mabinty M. Kamara

A two-day judicial training and dialogue on human right issues has started in Freetown on Tuesday. The training which targeted judges from anglophone West Africa is focused on experience sharing on common human rights problems facing the justice systems in the sub-region.

By Kemo Cham

The Japanese government is exploring possible ways to intervene in Sierra Leone’s decrepit energy sector.

A high level delegation from the government of the East Asian nation ended a week-long visit to the West African country over the weekend as part of this mission. The delegation, which was headed by the Ghana-based Japanese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Mr. Tsutomu Himeno, held talks with several government officials, including officials at the presidency and the Ministry of Finance.

By Hajaratu Kalokoh

The Advocacy Movement Network (AMNet) has trained 35 legal practitioners on issues surrounding human trafficking. The training, whose beneficiaries comprise magistrates and prosecutors, centered establishing common knowledge around human trafficking as it relates to their work within the judiciary.

The training which took place on Monday at Country Lodge, also included four Parliamentarians.

By Umaru Fofana

In a major partnership with the UN children’s agency (UNICEF), President Julius Maada Bio on Friday launched a drone corridor which will see the supply of medical and other services by the unmanned aerial vehicles – the first such initiative in West Africa that is led by a national government.  

By Kemo Cham

President Julius Maada Bio has said his government was determined to go ahead with the planned construction of the much talked about bridge linking Freetown to the airport town of Lungi.

Bio was quoted telling a visiting World Bank official last week that the bridge is key to the development of Sierra Leone as it would open up the country to investment opportunities.