The United Nation Resident Coordinator Babatunde Ahonsi calls for inter-party dialogue over the violent incidents that occurred recently in constituency 056 Tonkolili district.

The press release said the United Nations in Sierra Leone expresses concern over the violent incidents that occurred on 7 June 2022 in Bendugu town, Sambaia Chiefdom, Tonkolili district, ahead of the by-elections for the Member of Parliament of Constituency 056, leading to injuries to people and damage to properties.

According to the press release the United Nations deeply condemns all forms of violence and calls on all segments of society including political leaders and party supporters, traditional and religious leaders, national and local institutions, and citizens in general-to commit to a spirit of tolerance and to work together to maintain peace in Sierra Leone.

The press release also said that the United Nations in Sierra Leone calls for a prompt investigation of the incidents so that perpetrators may be brought to justice.

The United Nations in Sierra Leone urges dialogue, including between political parties, to resolve political differences and stands ready to support such dialogue.

$5,000 Fraud…

Lebanese National Dragged to Court  

By Feima Sesay

Alie Jaffal a Lebanese National was on Monday 13 June 2022 dragged to court by Nawal Mourad over an alleged five thousand dollars fraud.

The defendant who made his first appearance before magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba road court No1 was arraigned on one count charge of Obtaining Credit by fraud other than false pretences contrary to section 13 of the Debtors Act 1869.

According to the charge, it was alleged that the defendant Alie Jaffal sometimes in July, 2021 at Wilkinson Road Freetown with intent to defraud, obtained credit from Nawal Mourad in the sum of five thousand dollars by luring her to vacate her flat in turn of consideration of &5000 or its equivalent and falsely pretending to pay same to complainant, knowing same to be false.

When the charge was read and explain to the defendant he pleaded not guilty.

Lawyer T M Dauda and Y A T Mansaray were prosecuting the matter. Counsel for the prosecution T M Dauda informed the court that the complainant is absent and therefore could not proceed with the matter.

Lawyer S Samba for the defendant applied for bail on the grounds that he has a permanent resident in Sierra Leone and that he also owns a factory called Jaffal Blocks which needs his everyday supervision.

Her application was made pursuant to section 79(3) of the criminal procedure act 1965.

Magistrate Keikura having  listened to both sides granted bail to the defendant in the sum of 100 million and one surety in like sum who must be resident in Freetown and shown a proof of identity card of employment.

 He also noted that his bail must be verified by him and approved by the Deputy Assistant Registrar whiles the matter was adjourned to 30 June 2022.

 Le60M Fraud At Dankama Enterprise:

Business Man Jailed

 By Feima Sesay

Chernor Mamadu Jalloh a business man was on Monday 13 June 2022 sent to prison by magistrate Kekura of Pademba road court No1 for allegedly embezzling over 60 Million Leones from Dankama Enterprise.

The accused was arraigned in court on four counts charges Embezzlement contrary to section 17 of(1)(b) of the larceny act of 1916.

The police alleged on counts one that the accused on 10 May 2022 at Dankama Enterprise Free Street, Freetown being an employee of Dankama Enterprise fraudulently embezzled the sum of 27 million Leones received by him for and on account of Dankama Enterprise.

Counts two added that the accused Chernor Mamadu Jalloh on the 9 May 2022 at the same entity embezzled the sum of 15 million Leones from the said institution.

The police further alleged on counts three and four that the accused on diverse date between 6/11 May 2022 at the said Enterprise embezzled the sum of over 26 million from Dankama Enterprise.

When the charges were read, no plea was taken and no legal representation was made on his behalf.

The prosecutor Deputy Superintendent of police Isatu Gbassay Fofana informed thecourt that the complainant is absent because they were not informed in the circumstance requested for an adjournment to inform them.

Magistrate Keikura however, granted her application and adjourned the matter to the 16 June 2022.

The accused was however refused bail and sent to prison.

Guinean in prison for timber Fraud

By Feima Sesay

The complainant in the matter between Abu Bakar Suma, a Guinean National and the state, Desmond Komba Yomba has explained before magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No 1, how the accused took the sum of forty four million Leones, two hundred thousand Leones from him for a timber deal which never materialized.

The accused is before the court on two count charges of obtaining money by false pretences contrary to section 32(1) of the larceny Act of 1916.

It was alleged on the charge sheet in count one that on diverse dates between 15th of March 2022 and 15th May 2022, at Sanuya Town in Tambaka chiefdom, Karene district, North-East Region of the Republic of Sierra Leone, with intent to defraud, the accused obtained from complainant Desmond Komba Yomba the summof forty four million two hundred thousand Leones (Le 44, 200,000) on the pretext that he has two hundred and twenty six timber logs for sale knowing same to be false.

On count two, it was also alleged that the accused obtained the sum of twenty seven million two hundred thousand Leones ( Le27,200,000) as transportation cost with the pretext to collect two hundred and twenty six timber logs.

Desmond Komba Yomba recognized the accused person in the dock through a timber dealer Abu Kabba.

He said on the 15th of May 2022, he gave the accused Abu Bakarr Suma the sum of fifteen million Leones for the purpose of timber logging in the presence of one Sylvester Jusu.

Complainant said the accused told him that the person he purchased the timber from was not around and asked for more time to return the items.

Testify further, complainant said they went into another business leaving the initial one pending.

Upon reaching that point the accused assured the Branch that if he is granted Bail, he will be able to give the accused what he owed him.

However bail was granted to the accused person in the sum of one hundred million Leone with a surety in like sum.

He said the Surety must be resident in the western area in Freetown must be gainfully employed from a recognised institution and should produce his or her employment letter or valid identity card depicting his or her address in Freetown.

He adjourned the matter to the 22nd of June 2022 for continuation of hearing.

Man in Court for alleged assault on Police

By Feima Sesay

Ibrahim Bangura a driver was on Monday 13 June 2022 sent to prison again by magistrate Kekura for an alleged assault on a police officer.

Lawyers defending Ibrahim Bangura an accused person who was alleged to have assaulted a police officer, AB Koroma and CA Bangura has objected to the presentation of the incident on a power point presentation scream in court which was to be done by the Prosecution.

The accused was arraigned on two count charges of Inflicting grievous bodily harm contrary to section 20 of the offences against the persons Act 1861 and Obstructing a police officer in the execution of his duty contrary to section 39 of the police Act 1964

According to the particulars of offence on Wednesday 10th May 2022 at Brook Street Junction off Siaka Steven Street the western area in Freetown maliciously inflicted wound on police constable 18080 Habib Abubakar Mansaray to cause him grievous bodily harm on count two at the same place and date obstructed police constable 18080 Habib Abubakar Mansaray whilst in his due execution of his lawful duty

Prosecution witness number one Detective Sergeant 6890 Sahr Foday Lebbie attached at the Cyber-crime unit Criminal investigation Department Headquarter Freetown.

Led in evidence by Assistant Superintendent of Police Christian Davis Cole, Prosecution witness number one Detective Sergeant 6890 Sahr Foday Lebbie attached at the Cyber-crime unit Criminal investigation Department Headquarter Freetown recognized the accused person in the dock.

He said on Tuesday 7th June 2022, he was on duty with Detective chief inspector idrissa Kabba Turay he received a correspondent with one universal serial boss drive containing a video recording  from the crime office at central police in respect of a case of Assault, Wounding and other related offenses on serial numbers  1819/2022.

On receiving the drive Detective Sergeant Sesay examined and recorded what was in the drive by connecting it into a Dell lap top.

Having connected the drive he discovered a one minute thirty three second video where the accused assaulted PC 1800 Mansaray ABH.

After viewing it, it was reduced the analysis to a form of report and he signed as the recorder witness by Detective chief inspector Kabba Turay. He was about to produce and tender the report when defence counsel AB Koroma  objected on the grounds that the witness is about to tender a transcribe report which the prosecution did not show to them.

Magistrate Sahr Kekura advised defence counsel to keep patient until the video is display in court.

Defense counsel further stated that before such video is to be tendered, the prosecution need to produce the source use to record the video in order to avoid what is referred to as montage.

Responding to the defence, Assistant Superintendent of police Christiana Davies Cole said witnesses have testified so far as to how the incident happens and the same incident was making round the social media.

 Having heard the objection raised by the defence he is with the opinion that the witness is the fit person to tender the document because he was the custodian of it. In light of the above, he allowed the documents to be tender and form part of the evidence.

The drive was tendered as exhibit A and the report as exhibit B.

The prosecutor Assistant Superintendent of police Christiana Davies Cole seeks the Bench leave for the USB drive to be played in a power point presentation scream erected in court.

Another defence counsel CA Bangura objected for same to be played in court, stating that they don’t want anything prejudicial.

The prosecution said she did not see how playing the video is prejudicial when it is all over social media.

In that light, magistrate Sahr Kekura asked the defence obliged the prosecution with copy of the authorities cited in other for her to do the needful. Defense counsel renewed his application for bail on behalf of the accused person. Magistrate Kekura in reply said he will only consider bail when he had looked at the evidence in the circumstance the accused was refused bail and the matter adjourned to 16th of June 2022.

Njala police investigate Murder of JSS 3 pupil

By Amb. Jonathan Hindolo Kurabu

Police officers in Njala Mokonde in Moyamba District are investigating the alleged murder of a 20 year old girl, Grace Lamboi whose corpse according to the Officer in Charge of the Njala Police Post, Inspector Ibrahim Bah was discovered around 6:30am on Tuesday June 7th 2022 along Nyalahun Section and Experimental School in Njala, by group of school going pupils.

She was a JSS 3 pupil of the Gethsemane Secondary School in Mosongo who was also preparing to attempt the BECE Exams this year.

Police sources say upon visiting the scene of crime, they saw a motionless body with a female pant and a black cap covered around her face with two mobile phones without sim cards and batteries in a bag believed to be hers.

Meanwhile, a suspect identified as Issac Dimoh, a night guard working for Hughes Security deployed at the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, Njala Branch and also alleged to have been in love with the deceased, is now helping the police with further investigation and the Matter has been transfered to the Bo Police Station.

Speculations unconfirmed though, are rife that she was raped to death and dumped in a nearby bush during the torrential downpour on Monday night and proximity of the scene of crime is closer to the duty post of her former boyfriend who is alleged to have had an estranged relationship with the deceased months ago.

The Mortal remains of Grace Lamboi have already been buried while a possible exhumation for postmortem by a competent medical practitioner to ascertain cause of death is underway.

 

WORLD BANK OFFERS ENTREPRENEUR TRAINING TO MMTU

Milton Margai Technical University has on Wednesday 8th June 2022 met with a delegation from World Bank at the Inner Room Goderich Campus.

The visit by the delegation from World Bank was to meet with the university administration and to also assess the proposed facilities for the implementation of the entrepreneur training and the establishment of an incubation hub at the institution.

Milton Margai is one of the three universities that were selected by the World Bank to benefit from the project.

Mr. Kweku Fraser, a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) specialist from Corporate Turnaround International (CTI) a consulting firm, who was part of the delegation, explained the functions and roles of the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project, which he said is being funded by the World Bank that tries to diversify the Sierra Leone Economy targeting the extractive sector to reform the economy. One way to achieve that was developing entrepreneurship that would allow us to have more self-employed people, he noted.

Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency was another organization that focused more on the development of small and medium businesses.

 Mr Fraser noted that these small enterprises are the engines of growth in any developing economy. He added that as a country we had not paid attention to these smaller enterprises.

Those two companies were essential partners of the project those universities are set to benefit from.

The team leader of the delegation Dr. Modupe Taylor-Pearce narrated a story with a nexus on how people in Sierra Leone and America had different mindsets towards work to produce something.

He noted that eight people in America would work to share among ten people whilst in Sierra Leone three people would work for ten people.

To him, that margin of work turnout in Sierra Leone could be one of the reasons for our creeping economy.

“The reason we are poor as a nation is that everyone is seeking a job rather than creating one. Other parts of the world have built the art of entrepreneurship and so they are always finding ways to develop the next Google or Apple. They believe entrepreneurship is creating a job for yourself,” Dr. Taylor-Pearce asserted. 

Dr. Taylor-Pearce furthered that the four-month project was going to develop job producers/ creators instead of job seekers. He added that they were going to supply the institution with whatever, to fully capacitate our students to maximise their full potential.

Dr. Taylor-Pearce stressed that the core objective of the project was to identify the best practices in each of the three best institutions identified in Sierra Leone in terms of the work they did in entrepreneurship and fused them to come up with solutions to key issues collectively, noting that the key oxygen of entrepreneurship was peer learning.

He encouraged all to grab the opportunity and focus on the fundamental objective of the project which was to help cultivate job creators.

Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Milton Margai Technical University, Dr. Philip John Kanu (Associated Professor) thanked the delegation for visiting the institution, and for knowledge sharing through the brilliant presentation by the team lead, Dr. Taylor -Pearce.

He noted that the project’s objective could not be limited to the students; even the lecturers can benefit from it, as it would help them create wealth for themselves.

Dr. Kanu said that the project was vital because it was part of the institution’s five pillars of the strategic plans. The key ones that merged around were “Ensuring access and relevance as a Technical University.

He furthered that the objective was to move away from the traditional university system; but a university that would pay attention to addressing the middle-level manpower in the country.

“As a nation, we are still struggling because we are not paying attention to addressing that area, as it was the engine of growth and development.

As a university, they were looking at that aspect to create a niche out of it,” he said.

He spoke about relevance as an institution by training students to be self-reliant to create jobs for themselves without seeking employment.

 This is one of the key benchmarks the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) looked at before allowing the institution to become a technical university he said.

Addressing the middle-level manpower, the Vice-Chancellor said courses in that area were not only limited to high school graduates but also catered for those who didn’t complete formal education.

He added that entrepreneurship drive could also be featured in other technical areas such as the Hotel and Tourism which he said was doing well in other countries.

“If we have to be seen as a relevant university in Sierra Leone, we have to pay attention to these areas,” he ended.

The event was climaxed with questions from staff of the university about the project to get a better understanding of the concept.

Earlier, the delegation was welcomed by the Ag Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Director of Academic Affairs, Dr Mohamed Alie Jalloh.

The team was led by the Coordinator of Short Courses and External Programmes, Mr. Papa N’jai and Director of Research Dr. Alhaji Ibrahim Sankoh to the proposed facility for the establishment of a future Innovation Hub at the institution.