News

By Jenneh Braima

Civil Society Movement, the umbrella Civil Society Organizations’ body in Sierra Leone, has refuted allegations made by the deputy minister of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs, Mustapha Bai Attilla, that CSOs in the country were doing next to nothing where gender issues were concerned.

The minister, in a press conference last week had accused CSOs of being swift to publish negative reports about government activities and performance while failing to propagate women and children issues.

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

Plans to take on diamond mining giant OCTEA in a legal battle by the people of Koidu in the Kono District over tax evasion charges have received a major boost.

About five civil society organizations in the district have thrown their weight behind the Koidu City Council, which is championing the move. OCTEA was fingered over allegations it has failed to honor its property tax obligations.

This is in relation to tax owed for 2014, according to the mayor.

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

The University of Sierra Leone has concluded an online virtual science fair aimed at motivating more secondary school girls to study Science courses at university.

The fair, which was organised in December, encouraged participants from nine schools, which included Annie Walsh Memorial, Grammar School and Bo school, to submit written projects online about issues facing society.

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

Judge Advocate at the court Martial, which is currently trying 13 soldiers accused of mutiny, yesterday admitted new documentary evidence from the 1^st accused, Private Momoh Kargbo who testified earlier in his defence.

By Mohamed T Massaquoi

Police in Pujehun have warned against the potential for violence in the Makpele chiefdom against the backdrop of tension emanating from a controversial investment scheme.

Makpele is in the eastern part of the district and it has been tethering on violence over an agreement involving a company called Natural Habitat, which is seeking to develop two plantations in Zimmi Makpele and Sorobiema chiefdoms, and the local authorities.

By Aminata Phidelia Allie

Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Frankly Bai Kargbo, has said that the Supreme Court was set to move its courtroom, together with the office of the Chief Justice, to the former Special Court premises after the Ebola crisis in the country.

This would be the second time that the AG is making the same promise, the first being when the Special Court officially closed and handed over the courthouse to the government in December 2013.

Four human rights organisations have called on President Ernest Bai Koroma to free eight people detained without charge on his orders since 24 October last year.

The two women and six men from Kono District were first detained at the Criminal Investigations Department in Freetown before they were taken to the maximum security prison.