Albert Joe Demby, the former Vice President of the republic of Sierra Leone who served in the honorable position from 1996-2001 has passed away and his body was displayed at the parliament grounds on Thursday 8th April 2021.
But before been laid to rest, a public laying-out ceremony was organized by the Sierra Leone parliament at Tower Hill in honour and commemoration of the life of the statesman.
The second gentleman at the time was instrumental in the negotiations with the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) that eventually witnessed the signing of the Lome peace accord in 2001.
After the agreement in Lome that silenced the guns, the brutal civil war that claimed more than 500,000 lives, amputations, sexual violence and other war crimes and crimes against humanity were ceased. The country was restored on the trajectory of peace and stability with the help of the selfless sacrifice of the international community. Albert Joe Demby was vice president when the civil war was raging at its peak with its attendant horror and ferocious atrocities. The former Vice President has to endure two overthrows of the Kabbah led government in May 25th 1997 and in January 6th 1999.
At this critical moment of the Kabbah led government, the whole SLPP government back then was exiled in Neighboring Guinea until the government was later restored by a conglomerate of Nigerian led ECOMOC military. Before the 2001 general elections, for reasons best known to late president Kabbah, he was replaced by Attorney General and Minister of Justice Solomon EkumaBerewa as a running mate to contest the elections.
Since he was relieved of his duties in 2001, the agricultural expert retired to his village before he met his eternal call in 2021.
As part of the public ceremonies in commemoration of the late states man, the Office of the Clerk of Parliament is inviting Hon. Members and Staff of Parliament, Government Ministers and interested members of the general public to the state funeral and official laying-in ceremony of Dr. Albert Joe Demby, former Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone; on Thursday 8th April 2021 at 10:00 AM at the Forecourt, Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown.
Members of the cross section of the political divide in parliament are expected to grace the occasion alongside members of the general public and the diplomatic community.
 Two In Jail For Sacrilege
By FeimaSesay
Mohamed Bangura and Cecil Bundu were on Wednesday 7th April 2021 sent to prison by Magistrate IsataSellu Tucker of Pademba Road court No.2 for an alleged Sacrilege at Wesley Methodist Church.
The accused persons who made their first appearance in court were arraigned on 4 counts charges of conspiracy to commit a felony, Sacrilege contrary to section 27 of the larceny Act, 1916, malicious damage and assault occasioning actual bodily harm all contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
According to the indictment on count one, the police alleged that the accused persons Mohamed Bangura and Cecil Bundu on Tuesday 23 March 2021 at Wesley Methodist Church Lamina Sankoh Street Freetown, conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a felony to wit sacrilege.
Counts two stated that the accused persons on the same date and place broke and entered into the said church with intent to commit a felony therein.
The police further alleged on counts 3 that the accused maliciously damage one grey colour safe and locker value five million six hundred and fifty thousand Leones (le 5,650,000) property of the said church.
Whiles counts 4 added that the accused at the same church assaulted Abdul KarimTuray in a manner thereby occasioning him actual bodily harm.
When the charges were read to the accused persons, no plea was taken.
ASP Hawa Bah informed the court that her witnesses were absent and therefore could not proceed with the matter, in the circumstance requested an adjournment to subpoena her witnesses.
Lawyer A. BoyzieKamara applied for bail on behalf of the accused persons on the grounds that they are presume innocent until proven guilty. His application was made pursuant to section 79 of the CPA 1965 application supported by bail regulation of 2018.
Magistrate IsataSellu Tucker refused the accused persons bail and Remand them in prison whiles the matter was adjourned to 9 April 2021.
