Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000225 EndHTML:0000152624 StartFragment:0000021866 EndFragment:0000152584 SourceURL:file:///C:\Users\User%202020\Desktop\NEWS%20EDITIONS%20TO%20PUBLIS\PR%20WEDNESDAY%2025%20NOVEBER%202020.docx By Feima Sesay The state who is the respondent in Paolo Conteh Appealed case has on Tuesday 24 November 2020, applied for the appeals on sentencing and conviction to be stroke off. The lead counsel for the respondent (state) Joseph A.K Sesay made this application before Justice Ivan Sesay, Justice Bintu Alhadi and Justice Tonia Bernett presiding over the matter. He informed the court that the jurisdictional objection starts that on 14 July 2020, the appellant file two notice of criminal appeal 5&6 separately against the conviction and the sentencing and that both set were served on the respondent and that both side file a written synopsis in compliance with the direction of the court. J.A.k Sesay on that grounds objected for appeal against the  sentence to be heard before the court, and further applied that the purported notice of appeal against the sentence file on 14 July 2020 and all subsequent  writing argument relating to sentence imposed on appellant by the court below be stroke off. He stated that the argument should be stroke off for the following reasons: firstly he said the appellant in filing the notice about f appeal failed to comply with section 57 paragraph c of the court act 1965 Act No 31 of 1965, noting that leaves was never granted by the court of appeals or a certificate obtained by the court below allowing the appellant to appeal against sentences that were not fixed by law. He argued further that sentence pass on conviction relating to the offence of keeping greater number of arms and having a loaded small arms in a public place contrary to section 32 (1) with regards to the first conviction, that is on count 10, the regulation provide that a person who contravene that regulation commit an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding Le 5 million or an imprisonment not less than 12 months. He submitted that both counts are not fix by law but are discretional , he said with regards to the two offences for which the appellant is before the court, they are not fix by law and therefore a trial judge can used his/her discretion. ” If you are appealing against the discretion of a trial judge, it must be done by the leave of the court of appeal”, he said. Lawyer Sesay argued further that, both sentences cannot be appealed against as of right and therefore refered the court to the ruling delivered by Justice Taylor Kamara in the matter the state vs Jonathan Decker criminal appeal 20/2018. He therefore applied for the appellant appealed against the sentence and conviction not to be heard, adding that they are intertwined. He said in as much as the appeal against conviction stands on its own it can be argued as of right, because it effect would touch on the appeal against sentence for  which he submitted that the court of appeal lacks the jurisdiction to listened to. He submitted further that in the absence of the leave of the court to hear the matter, the appellant applicant be precluded from arguing the appealed before the court and that the appealed be stroke off. He relied on the provision of section 57 c and that is of the court. The appellant (Alfred Paolo Conteh) applicant Lead counsel Joseph Fitzgerald Kamara in response  to the application made by the respondent(State) lawyer, he  stated that the appeal are two   different  versions and  stand  and further share equal weight. He also argued there are two independent grounds of appeals and stand not appellant with each other as they are separate and distinct from each other and stand alone. He further submitted that there is no correlation between the argument of sentencing and the argument of conviction and the independent argument on grounds 10 which is duplicity.  He said the argument regarding the two is of no consequence legal concept and therefore inefficacious. He further intimated the court that the crux of the respondent argument is for them to seek the leave of the court of appeal on sentencing and if they failed to do so they should not come before the court, he therefore stated that, that line of argument is completely misconceived. He further submitted that the construct of fix by law means that the penal provision provides that a judge cannot go above or below the maximum. J.F Kamara said the argument that exercise that means it is not fix by law is wrong. He also stated that the conviction of Justice Taylor Kamara are merely observation in passing comments and therefore cannot stand before the court as precedent. Lawyer Kamara refered the court to regulation 29(2) of the arms and ammunition regulation of 2014 that is fix by law. He therefore argued that discretion is vacuous. He added that section 57 c is misconceived in that it is not a jurisdictional objection but a procedural one. In conclusion, Lawyer kamara pleaded with the court to hear the appeal before the court in the interest of Justice. The matter was however adjourned to the 1st December 2020 for ruling. Pres. Bio Offers Le9 Billion For Skills Development   His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has presented a cheque of over Le 9 billion to the Skills Development Fund to initially benefit over 1,660 citizens in the Kenema and Kailahun Districts, eastern Sierra Leone.  Paramount Chief of Njaluahun Chiefdom, James Sheriff Coker-Jajua, expressed joy for receiving the President, but most importantly for the launch of the skills development fund in his chiefdom that would support middle-level manpower through technical education. “I am humbled to welcome you all to Njaluahun Chiefdom and to tell you that the Free Quality Education has really helped the poor people of this country,” he stated. Member of Parliament for Constituency 008, Honourable Wuyata Bernadette Songa, thanked the President for the opportunity given to her people to host the launch for the Skills Development Fund

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000225 EndHTML:0000111531 StartFragment:0000021286 EndFragment:0000111491 SourceURL:file:///C:\Users\User%202020\Desktop\NEWS%20EDITIONS%20TO%20PUBLIS\PR%20THURSDAY%2018%20NOVEMBER%202020.docx  By FeimaSesay Hon. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella leader of the National Grand Coalition (NGC) in the Sierra Leone Parliament has on Tuesday 17TH November refuse to support the concession agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone represented by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Finance and All Petroleum dealers in Sierra Leone Sierra for the rehabilitation and refurbishment of the Kissy Storage Tank Project. Speaking on behalf of the NGC, Hon. Kandeh said in his opinion, the agreement was not a good agreement, noting that the $25 million dollars tax concession was not good for the people of this country. “This agreement is not a good one, Honorable members this is an interesting proposal but I have a number of concerns to raise, we are concern as a party, but in general Hon. Speaker we get worry now that ministers signed agreements before bringing them here for us to ratify. This year alone, we have approved several companies with a lot of concessions. I look forward to the day that Parliament will take and look at it first and tell the ministers that look before you sign these agreements bring them here first. We will not support this agreement, it is a bad agreement” he stated. Hon. Kandeh said, Parliament should not be in rush in signing the agreement, adding that the agreement had so many loopholes to be looked at. “We should not be in rush in signing this agreement, we are talking about a critical sector that has ended and has misallocation of incentives will destroy the market and the implications for a whole economy will be reduced” he maintained. Hon. Yumkella strongly admonished his colleagues MPs to scrutinize before approving the agreement, pointing out that he tried to Google the company if they have a foot print in the industry but he sees none. “I am sure Mr Speaker you and I will recall that while we took mission in Nigeria and we were just giving a structural adjustment by the World Bank to creditor company here in Sierra Leone those days demanding petroleum and you and I went to Nigeria on trade mission and we checked that the company has no track record, I will not name the individual that was behind it but you and I know. And when we checked we were shocked we sent people to check the offices if do they exist, are they petroleum broken they were frauds. So some authority here when I say as a former minister knowing the sector a little beat myself that we should not rush” he reiterated. “I did not see this company as a good company, this people should not be unfair. We have supported four major Bills here, standing firm, we also have the right to critic those that are not in the interest of the people when we think it is not right. The reality also is, for the past two weeks even though I have been helping when the minister responded to quote what I said and react to my questions. For posterity sake, we have made our point and it is clear” he cautioned. Responding to concerns raised by the NGC party, the Minister for Trade and Industry Dr. Hinga Sandi said the agreement is good, noting that he cannot sign any agreement that was not in the best interest of the people of Sierra Leone. “The concerns raised by Hon. Kandeh were very much important, the tax concession we are having is created by existing Financial Act. Tax concession  we all know are actually meant to support  industry  growth, at this point in time we have understand that instead  of giving fish to somebody, teach them how to fish. We are bringing  this development  to hub the excuse which Sierra Leoneans have been yearning  for and there for prepare them for them job that is going to come out” he  established. MPs from SLPP, APC and C4C contributed to the debate. However, the agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone represented by the Ministry of Trade and industry and Ministry of Finance and All petroleum operators in Sierra Leone was ratified by the House of Parliament with the exception of the National Grand Coalition (NGC). President Bio Commissions Fishing Boats  President Julius Maada Bio has handed over 70 fishing boats to support 1,400 youths who live in 40 communities across the 7 coastal districts of Western Area Rural and Urban, Port Loko, Bonthe, Moyamba, Pujehun and Kambia. Giving an overview, Project Manager of the Youth in Fisheries Project, Joseph Lahai, said that the initiative established by government was to help reduce unemployment, promote self-reliance, economic diversification, nutritional upgrade and empower the youths in the rural communities to discourage youth migration. Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura, said he was pleased to be part of the handing over of the newly constructed fishing boats and its accessories. He added that the project was to empower and capacitate young people under the cluster of the Medium-Term Development Plan that sought to address issues of unemployment while also ensuring that the youth were self-reliant enough to contribute positively to the socioeconomic development of their communities. “His Excellency, we appreciate your leadership, mentorship and the political will you have shown to help change the narrative around youths in the country. We appreciate the fact that you loathe corruption and love transparency and accountability,” the youth minister said on behalf of the beneficiary youth groups. Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Patricia Nyanga Laverley, said that the Youth in Fisheries Project was a presidential initiative established to support the government’s agenda as a means of reducing the unemployment rate in the youth sector and to promoting self-reliance. ”The project will adopt a revolving loan scheme to recover costs, fishing ponds and boats. Its accessories will be given out to youth groups with a clear understanding of repaying the loan to the Ministry of Youth Affairs,

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000223 EndHTML:0000116987 StartFragment:0000021397 EndFragment:0000116947 SourceURL:file:///C:\Users\User%202020\Desktop\NEWS%20EDITIONS%20TO%20PUBLIS\PR%20MONDAY%2030%20NOVEMBER%202020.docx The Judicial court of Sierra Leone has on Friday 27 November, 2002 inform the general public that starting from the 1st December 2020 only persons who produces valid Identity Card will be allow into the premises of the Law Court Building. The statement continue that valid ID Cards like; passport, National Identity Card, voter’s cards, Driver’s License, University or School Identity card, Firm Identity Card and Many more will allow your way to the building. The statement also said that all Lawyers must use the front entrance by Siaka Stevens street and must also show a valid Identity Card or their Firm Identity Card before entering. See press release below.    Orange SL. Launches Oversea Money By Feima Sesay Orange Money a reliable offers of Orange Mobile Telecommunication Network  has on Friday 27 November, 2020 at their  head office Hill station Freetown  launched it new Oversea Money facility  for active orange Money customers to receive money from international destination. This means that if a person has relatives oversea and had wanted to send money in Sierra Leone, the person don’t need to go to western union or any other money Bureau to collect money but instead the money will be sent directly into your orange money wallet. David Mansaray, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Orange Money explained this during the launching of the facility  that Orange is in partnership with other service providers via Western Union, BnB, Small World, Omex Group and many more directly to their Orange Money Wallet. He also described the facility as a way of enhancing the process of money transfer and mitigate the numerous difficulties involve of which recipients encountering to cash-out money sent from their relatives in overseas. Noting  that it take away all the hustle of receiving money. He further stated that the product will give authority in the country a clear picture of the total number of remitter’s that comes into Sierra Leone which he said is good, adding that bigger picture of the oversea money is that,  when you look at it from a broader economic point of view, it brings more people into the formal sector of money transmission. Orange money CEO mentioned that customers can receive as low as Le, 50,000 and as high as Le, 15,000,000 daily, yet, senders should ensure that name of the recipient he or she enters is the exact name of the recipient registered on Orange Money, else transaction will fail if the names do not match. Alpha Barrie, CEO of the BnB Bureau form Guinea said they started operation in 2014, and therefore assured customers  that his company will deliver its best services in terms of making customers receive money from oversea through Orange Mobile Telecommunication company in Sierra Leone. And, BnB has established its services many countries of the world including overseas. New Pro-Chancellor Assures Administrative and Academic Staff of NU  The newly appointed Pro-Chancellor for Njala University, Mr. David Carew has at the end of one day visit to Njala University, Njala Campus assured members of the Academic and Administrative staff of the University that he will leverage on his private-sector background to support the growth of the University. Mr. David Carew started his day visit on Thursday 26th November 2020 by touring various water and energy facilities, schools, laboratories, the Njala Campus Library, and the Oil Palm Nursery site at the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences. He later reported in a meeting with members of staff of the University that he was impressed with the strides he saw while touring the various schools amidst the very little resources available to the University.  Mr. Carew lauded the sacrifices and enthusiasm of staff members who according to him already have the solutions to solving the plethora of issues confronting teaching and learning at the University. ‘’My interface with various staff members has given me an insight that some of these staff members have the answers to the problems of the University but only needs support from the strategic level to push through their brilliant initiatives’’ he noted. He assured them that he will provide the enabling environment to support these initiatives and partnerships with the private sector and Government. He went on to note that he will accordingly intimate the Government of Sierra Leone that Njala University is critical to the development aspirations of Government and hence should be fully supported. The Acting Chairman of Court earlier on welcomed his boss to the shores of Njala University, while the Registrar of the University, Dr. Muneer Jalloh introduced the new Pro-Chancellor to members of the University Coordinating Committee. Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Osman Sankoh, Mallam .O. was full of praise for members of his Coordinating Committee and reported to the new Pro-Chancellor that his staff members are selfless and had displayed complete exuberance over the years to continue to graduate quality students despite the numerous challenges confronting their welfare, teaching, learning, and research. He called on the Pro-chancellor to leverage on the commitment of the staff to sustain the gains already made at the University. Mallam .O. further intimated the Pro-Chancellor that upon his assumption of office he conducted an online survey of key stakeholders in the University and was able to generate credible data that would be useful in managing the day to day activities of the University and that he is willing to share the data with the new Pro-Chancellor. He also expressed his satisfaction about the way the University Court had been managed under the Acting Chairmanship of the University Court, Mr. Joseph Munda Bindi, and requested through the Pro-Chancellor for the establishment of an Endowment fund that will take care of the many challenges of the University. Mallam .O. concluded by intimating the Pro-Chancellor that under his watch he has ensured transparency and accountability both in the management of the resources of the institution and in the decision making processes of the University and assured his boss that the institution would

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000218 EndHTML:0000036948 StartFragment:0000022043 EndFragment:0000036908 SourceURL:file:///C:\Users\User%202020\Desktop\NEWS%20EDITIONS%20TO%20PUBLIS\Itv%20Discourages%20Customers.docx By: Abdul Osaio Kamara Arguably, tourism in Sierra Leone is highly beach oriented – and for a good reason. The beaches all along the Western Coastline from Aberdeen to Kent are easily accessible and excellent, among them iconic locations such as Number Two, Tokeh and Bureh Beach. Pictures of these beaches are found on every travel website, in every guidebook and in uncounted social media posts dedicated to international and domestic tourism in Sierra Leone, often accompanied by enthusiastic reviews on sites such as Tripadvisor. These images have made their way around the world in recent years and have undoubtedly played a great role in showing the world “the other Sierra Leone” and in shaping a positive image of a paradise to be discovered. Indeed, increasing numbers of travellers began to trickle in. The enormous potential did not go unnoticed by private investors. Guesthouses and hotels began to proliferate all along the coast. These businesses do not only employ significant numbers of Sierra Leoneans in communities with no other employment opportunities, but also provide continuous work and income to builders, carpenters, masons, plumbers, electricians, fishermen, drivers and shopkeepers etc. Beaches which had only very limited accommodation options 10 years back have since turned into flourishing and popular weekend and holiday destinations and are much loved both by citizens and people from around the world. However, this article is not about good news. These beaches are not as beautiful as they once were. One would struggle to still describe any of them as pristine or unspoiled – in reality, they are being ravaged. The backdrop of lush green forested hills which once made the scenery along the coast breathtakingly beautiful has largely made way for sprawling, unplanned urbanisation and uncontrolled deforestation in what is – at least on paper – a forest reserve. Sand mining operations have taken place on many beaches, leaving complete destruction in their wake like at the former Sugar land Beach in Goderich. Presently, large-scale sand mining is conducted at John Obey in immediate proximity to some of the best beaches in Sierra Leone. John Obey Beach itself was an unspoiled jewel just a few years ago – now it is basically destroyed. The effects of sand mining can even be seen at Tokeh Beach, some miles away from John Obey. It is already devastated by heavy erosion. Palm trees have fallen, buildings have collapsed. Tree trunks and the ruins of former buildings litter the once beautiful beach. The destruction can no longer be ignored at Bureh Beach right next to John Obey as well. This previously vast and flat beach of golden sand is becoming increasingly rocky and steep. Coastal erosion is accelerating every year to the point of human remains now being washed out from the village cemetery at high tide. The draw card of tourism in Sierra Leone – ‘picture-perfect’ beaches in front of a backdrop of forested mountains – being ravaged at a mind boggling pace. Once the beaches are mined, they are gone for good. The sand will not return, and erosion cannot be undone. Who still remembers that the fishing community of Tombo, for example, once had sandy beaches? It allegedly did, but the sand was mined and then never returned. The sand hasn’t returned to Sugar land Beach either, but instead erosion has claimed 200 meters of the land. This is the fate all beaches along the Peninsular are now facing, and perhaps it is already too late for many of them. It is evident what this would mean for tourism and the employment, tax revenues and good image that are expected to come with it. A proprietor of a guesthouse at one of the affected beaches (who wished to remain anonymous) stated that tourism had already been compromised by noise, crime and rubbish from outings and fiestas, but that the destruction of the beach would be the final nail in its coffin. The person voiced regrets about having invested a significant amount of money in tourism because the structures at the beach would be claimed by the sea in a few years if the sand mining continued. As can be seen at locations such as Sugar land Beach, such concerns are justified. Beach tourism obviously depends on intact beaches. When even premium beaches like Tokeh, Number Two or Bureh are not spared such destruction, investors would hardly trust any location to be safe enough to pour money into. The numerous employment opportunities in the tourism sector that have already been created may be lost if customers stay away because the beaches are no longer attractive or the structures collapse into the sea, and it is highly unlikely that new investment would take place at such locations. Making claims about promoting tourism and calling for investment in this sector are stuffs that are essentially pointless when there is nothing left to promote or to invest in. Therefore, a positive paradigm shift is needed if we are to change this narration for the better and for the good of all and sundry. Itv Deprives Subscribers   By Mustapha Ezekiel Dumbuya The independent Television Company (ITV) is a wireless antenna satellite that hosts multiple Television stations which serves over 50% of Sierra Leoneans in residents and offices. The company has been operating in Sierra Leone since it was Launched in 2016 and many sierra Leoneans have been subscribing to the company`s services. For up to a month now, complaints are rife from customers, citing the non-availability of signals despite having paid for uninterrupted services. According to some customers that spoke with Public Review, they disclosed that they are paying charges of about $40 as monthly subscriptions in return for 33 Television Channels entitled to the customer for onward viewing. One of the customers said that even though they are subscribing with $40 which is a substantial amount in Sierra Leone, people are still facing huge challenges in receiving video pictures and voice signals  as the