Justice Manuela Harding Discharged 2, Admits 3 To Bail As Judicial Week Continues

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Judiciary of Sierra Leone Communications, Ross Road Magistrates’ Courts, Freetown, 2nd February 2022: High Court Judge presiding over cases in the ongoing Judicial Week, Honourable Justice Manuela Harding has discharged 19-year-old Labourer, Mohamed Sow and 29-year-old MamoudMansaray for want of prosecution.

Sow was before the court on a one count indictment of Robbery with Aggravation contrary to Section 23 (1) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916 as repealed and replaced by section 2 of the Act No. 16 of 1971.

It was alleged that the accused on Saturday 27th November 2021 at Jui Junction, Waterloo Highway in the Waterloo Judicial District, being armed with bottle, robbed one AlhajiKargbo.

29-year-old Electrician, MamoudMansaray was also discharged of one count indictment of Fraudulent Conversion contrary to section 20 (1) (IV) (a) of the Larceny Act of 1916 for want of prosecution.

Mansaray was in September 2021, at Goderich in Freetown alleged to have fraudulently converted to his own use or benefit certain properties including one TVS Motor Tricycle, wheel screen, one Motor Tricycle Battery and other items all valued at Four Million One Hundred Thousand Leones (Le 4,100,000).

Justice Harding admitted to bail Motorcycle Rider, Mohamed LaminConteh of fraudulent conversion, Marketer Ibrahim Tarawally for Larceny and Osman Bah for fraudulent conversion.

The decision was reached after the  Application for bail made by Defence Lawyer, Lamin J. Kamara, from Legal Aid Board, for and on behalf of the accused persons wasn’t objected to by State Prosecutor, Robin Mason Jr.

In another related development, Supreme Court Judge who’s presiding over cases at the Waterloo Magistrate’s Court in the ongoing Judicial Week, Honourable Justice AlusineSesay (JSC) has completed the review of 15 rulings delivered by various Magistrates in the Western Area of Freetown against accused persons, convicts and inmates.

The cases are part of a total of one thousand and thirteen (1,013) assigned to 26 judges across the country for review for which inmates had been incarcerated awaiting trial without indictments, those on prolonged adjournments due to lack of empanelled jurors, those who’ve been admitted to bail but are unable to fulfil their bail conditions to secure their release and those serving unjustifiable and disproportionate sentences from Magistrates.

This move is part of the Honourable Chief Justice’s continued commitment to make justice more accessible in a transparent and accountable manner.

US Ambassador to SL Engages Ports Stakeholders

The United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Sierra Leone David Reimer engaged stakeholders at the Freetown Port, Queen Elizabeth II Quay, Cline Town, Freetown.

Ambassador Reimer said his visit at the Freetown Port and engagement with stakeholders is to familiarize himself with the operations of the port-being a key player in the economy of the Country.

He said his engagement with stakeholders would explain the port operational processes, including the challenges.

In welcoming Ambassador Reimer, the Chairman of the occasion Martin Maada George, Esq. who also doubles as the Company Secretary of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority said the doors of the Sierra Leones Ports Authority are opened for such engagement bordering on investment and economic growth, mainly when the Port is now operating on a public-private partnership venture.

The General Manager of the Sierra Leone Ports Authority, Dr. AbdulaiFofana, said the Sierra Leone Ports Authority had been transformed from a Service Port to a Landlord Port wherein private operators are now performing core port functions.

He said this development had ushered in many reforms as the port operational and maritime safety and security aspects have improved considerably.

Dr. Fofana further informed the engagement that he assumed office three years back and inherited many challenges he is working to address every day.

SLPA Deputy General Manager, Mr.YankubaAskia Bio said The Authority has a close relationship with the US government, referencing SLPA working relationship with the United States Coast Guards in the implementation of the International Ship and Ports Facilities (ISPS) Codes at the Freetown Port and other network Ports of Sierra Leone. He furthered that The Authority a few years back under the Fofana-Bio led administration, was given a pass mark by the United States Coast Guards for international Port safety and security compliance.

Mr. Bio commented on introducing the single window system that allows and makes easy clients involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single-entry point to fulfil all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements.

“If information is electronic, then individual data elements should only be used to ease doing business”, he maintained.

The Deputy General Manager further informed the visiting guests that the Port and other Ports around the subregion are working assiduously to implement the single window system to eliminate the burden of human contact in the clearing process.

The visiting delegation was further intimated about a committee headed by the Chief Minister to look into the port’s environmental issues.  He said the Committee made a tour to ensure that illegal mining of clay, garbage and oil disposal at sea should stop immediately.

A PowerPoint presentation was delivered on behalf of SLPA by the Harbour Master and Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO), Alpha YayahBangura. The highlights of his presentation were:

• The Sierra Leone Ports Authority (SLPA) was established by the Ports Act of 1964 (as amended).  At inception, its primary responsibilities include controlling all ports and marine activities in Sierra Leone and operating the Port of Freetown. This consists of the Freetown port and the Kissy Oil Jetty to oversee the Ports of Nitti and Pepel, managed and used by private mining companies.

• The Port has a protected anchorage on the Rokel River with an average depth of 18 metres and an overall berth length of 1132.49 metres with an available depth ranging from 9–13 metres.

• The Port has 7 berths, 4 large warehouses and a paved container stacking area of over 50,000 sq. metres. The Port has probably the finest natural harbour (being sheltered) in West Africa which can be seen as a competitive advantage.

• That Private Port Operators were granted License/Concessions to operate, manage and develop specific areas assigned to them.

• That Bollore/FTL handles the container terminal (berths 3-7) since 2011 with 100% exclusivity to handle containers and in 2015 license was issued to them to handle 20% of bulk and breakbulk cargo.

• That NSBT- English Company secured a License in 2015 to operate and handle bulk and break-bulk cargo at berths 1 & 2.  By the end of 2017, NSBT’s License was upgraded to a concession and the sharing between NSBT and Bollore automatically changed to 80/20% on bulk and break-bulk cargo.

• That Holland Shipyard- formerly Marine Slipway, is in charge of the repair of sea crafts

• That Dangote was leased a portion of land to manufacture bulk cement

• That Indigenous Labour Companies provide labour services to the operators in cargo handling

Challenges

• Changes with our ecosystem, resulting from increasing siltation at the Port.

• Ingress of seaweeds from the West Coast of Africa affecting Vessels in Port.

• Piracy and other forms of attack to vessels along the Gulf of Guinea stretching up to 50miles to the Sierra Leonean Coast.

• Additional safety requirements by Vessels Owners and Operators regarding health safety for Crew and boarding parties. (Covid 19)

Other stakeholders, including representatives from the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Freetown Terminal Limited (FTL), Indigenous Transport Owners Association (ITOA), clearing and Forwarding Agencies (ACFA) and the Scanning Department made statements.

Mr. Tennyson, Bio of Customs of the National Revenue Authority, said NRA-Customs has brought in a lot of reforms in the clearance processes, which have helped to ease business transactions at the Port.  He said the reforms include reducing the steps in the clearance process, improving communication with taxpayers, etc.

Bollore Country Manager, Bertrand Kerguelen said the Freetown Terminal Limited went into entire operations in 2011 following an agreement with the Government of Sierra Leone to operate the Freetown Port Container Terminal in 2010.

He further informed the visitors that FT has constructed a new multipurpose terminal worth over $120m United States Dollars with sophisticated modern equipment that has eased doing business at the Port. He said the new terminal with a length of 270 meters long and depth of 13.5 can now boast of mobile and sea-to-shore cranes and reefer ridges to power reefer containers of perishable good

50 Most Influential Nominees to be unveiled

The Fifty Most Influential Sierra Leonean Women Award Committee will like to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the public for participating in the nomination process that was launched on the 27th December 2021 and ended on the 21st January 2022.

This year the committee received one thousand and eleven (1011) nominations from the public. Giving the high quality of nominations, we took care to shortlist One hundred women with exceptional quality for public voting.

The One hundred women that were shortlisted for public voting have demonstrated their passion towards building a better Sierra Leone or are using their influence to inspire other women to contribute towards socio-economic development.

The committee will announce their names and voting code at the Official launching of the Public Voting Process and Inspirational Forum for Women and Girls on the 10 February 2022 at Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel, Freetown. Time: 3:00 PM. Strictly by Invitation

The Fifty Most Influential Sierra Leonean Women Award is an initiative of twenty-two youth and women-led organizations led by Kids Advocacy Network to spotlight and recognize the important role women play towards national development in Sierra Leone and also award and celebrate those women and few institutions that are contributing towards nation-building. The award recipients represent the most influential women in Business, Government, Law, Education, Local NGOs, and Entertainment, etc.

One Hundred nominees were Shortlisted for public voting and the public will elect fifty most influential women to receive this year’s award.

We wish to reassure the public that as usual our award will be based on merit and we will always maintain its integrity.

Canadian University Heroically and Formally Welcomes New and First Ever Vice Chancellor

The management and staff of the Canadian University of Modern Technology (CUMT), including students in Mile 91, Tonkolili District, Northern Sierra Leone on Wednesday February 2nd, 2022 officially welcomed the university’s first ever Vice Chancellor designate, Professor Allyson Sesay. 

Making the welcome statement, the Registrar of CUMT, Adam Goguen spoke on how the occasion marking the official welcome ceremony of Prof Allyson was laudable and very remarkable. He also spoke on how the then CCMT now CUMT has gone through several stages, noting that all members of staff and the campus leadership have done greater jobs in attaining the university status.

CUMT’s Dean of Arts and Commerce, Professor Bob K. Conteh informed that the attainment of a university calls for a celebration and an absolute uphold of morale and upright values. He called on students and staff of the university to make the best out of the occasion and not to do otherwise.

While presenting a brief resume of CUMT’s VC, the Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor (SAVC) at CUMT, Jacob Sax Conteh informed the gathering of how Prof. Allyson had been and was still a distinguished and renowned academic and public figure of high moral standing. He called on students and staff to positively emulate the good character and reputation of the learned Prof.

In his presentation to students and staff of CUMT, Professor Allyson Sesay disclosed that it was a tough decision for him to have decided to join the CUMT family, owing to the fact that he had other lucrative academic contracts that he had signed, but he informed the gathering that he had to cut short such programs, because as be placed it, he was moved by the dream and vision of MucksonSesaySnr., who happens to be CUMT’s Proprietor and Chancellor designate.

Prof. Allyson further spoke on the need for academic uprightness and integrity at all levels and noted that students and staff should be able to leave up to such expectations. He said that students were to make all reasonable efforts to be productive in the university, while calling on staff to act as positive mentors to the students.

Professor Allyson further highlighted the need to motivate the university’s teaching staff and noted that attending academic conferences at least once a year, could be one of such ways. He further called on members of the academic staff to be ready to present academic papers during seminars and similar forums, adding that such will aid in greatly improving the rankings of academics in the university system. He also said that a platform will be created to further encourage brilliant students in the university. It was on such note that the proposed that deserving students will be invited to make the Deans’ List and that of the Vice Chancellor’s List.

Speaking on behalf of CUMT students, SU President, AbdulaiTamba-Lebbie welcomed Prof. Allyson on behalf of all CUMT students and said that they were looking forward to greatly learn from the renowned Professor while promising to also leave up to expectations as students of the university.     

Professor Allyson AlimamySesay has been a Full Professor of Education and Coordinator of Academic Advising and Volunteer Service in the Department of Education. He was trained as a secondary school teacher at Milton Margai Teachers’ College in Sierra Leone. He received a BS in Agricultural Economics from Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma, and a M.Ed. in Foundations of Education/Comparative and International education from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. In 1981, Dr. Sesay earned the PhD degree in Educational Policy Analysis with a cognate area in Vocational and Technical Education from the University of Illinois.

In addition to his work as a secondary school science, mathematics, and English literature teacher, Dr. Sesay has acquired a wealth of teaching, research, administrative, and community service experiences in the United States and abroad in the area of teacher education over the past 26 years. He has worked in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and at a number of universities in the United States, including the University of Maine at Farmington, the University of Maine at Fort Kent, Howard University in Washington, DC, Shaw University and the University of Sierra Leone.  He has designed and taught a variety of courses including educational policy, educational psychology, foundations of education, economics of education, test and measurement, educational research, methods of teaching, multidisciplinary studies, and multicultural education. He teaches at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Dr. Sesay has been honored on four occasions in the ‘Who is who among America’s Teachers.’

He has served in a number of administrative capacities including department chair at Shaw and abroad. His research interests include international comparisons of young children’s worldviews as a foundation for preparing them for effective future leaders, educational policy evaluation (impact analysis), and multicultural issues, particularly those pertaining to gender equity in education. Dr. Sesay has presented the results of his research studies at professional conferences and published in scholarly journals in the United States and abroad.  Dr. Sesay’s work is firmly grounded in an eclectic philosophy of education that is rooted in the internal locus-of-control principle which holds that “truth and goodness belong to all persons no matter what their station” (Johnson, et. al, 2005).  Central to this philosophy, therefore, is his unwavering belief that all children have a capacity to learn and succeed, given the opportunity and a caring and nurturing environment.

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