News

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has vowed to push on with the trial of Captain Patrick Edwin Kamara, in absentia.

Kamara, who is facing a court martial over missing arms and ammunition, was under detention at the military Custodial Center at Wilberforce Barracks in Freetown, from where he reportedly escaped.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Justice Biobele Georgewill has reversed his decision demanding the physical appearance of persons of interest in front of the Commissions of Inquiry.

“I hold that the right of persons of interest to decline to give any response to any evidence led by the State is inalienable and therefore, this commission will refrain from trampling upon or interfering with such inalienable rights of persons of interest,” he said in a statement read to the court on Thursday.

By Prince j Musa in Kenema

The management of Eastern Polytechnic has been accused of tax evasion involving Le2.2 billion.

The money is said to be deductions made from salaries of staff of the Kenema-based learning institution for a period between 2018 and 2019.

The National Revenue Authority (NRA) said the college owes it Le1.8 billion for six months in 2018 and Le400 million for the months of March and April of 2019.

By Hassan Juana Koroma

The Bo District Council and the Office of Registrar General are locked in a controversy over who has the mandate to conduct civil marriage.

The longstanding disagreement took a new turn when the Chairman of the Legislative Committee in Parliament, Daniel Koroma, recently declared that district councils across the country should immediately stop conducting Civil Marriage on behalf of the state.

By Hajaratu Kalokoh

The Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has expressed interest in collaborating with the health campaign group FOCUS 1000 as part of its drive to transform Sierra Leone into an innovation hub.

By Kemo Cham

The Member of Parliament for Constituency 025 in Kono District, Paul Saa Sam, has warned that the current amount paid as school fee subsidy by government for pre-primary and primary school pupils risk undermining the Free Quality Education (FQE) program.

Hon. Sam said the amount received by some schools is too little to make any difference, thereby affecting the learning process, especially for community schools.

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

Sierra Leone has reopened access to oil and gas exploration following the publication of direct and open tender processes this month.  The tender notice calls for applications from competent companies for exploration license. 

Timothy Kabba, Director General of the Petroleum Directorate, said as part of their criteria a license application must cover an area equivalent to at least three blocks. The size of each block amounts to 1,360km.