SLAJ Reportedly Received Money From Magistrate Toby Hours After he Jailed Journalist
And they remain silent as Hardy Spends Fourth Night in Jail
By AL MansaraY
WASHINGTON, D.C. (USA) – The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists received money on Thursday, from Magistrate Joseph Toby of The Judiciary of Sierra Leone, just hours after he jailed award-winning journalist Osman Hardy Jalloh at the Kenema Correctional Center, several sources with direct knowledge of the transaction tell TV-News24.
Jalloh has been unlawfully ordered jailed by Toby since Thursday, without any articulable suspicion of a crime – despite complaining of being seriously sick.
Two attorneys secured by TV-News24, JB Dauda in Kenema, and Abdul Karim Koroma from Freetown, who traveled to Kenema on the weekend, says they’ve yet to be presented with any lawful reasons for the detention of the journalist.
The money Toby reportedly gave to SLAJ, according to one of the sources, was for a June 19, 2021 golden jubilee fundraising dinner and awards night – and was given to its eastern chapter in Kenema town, east of the country.
SLAJ President Ahmed Sahid Nasralla says he was at the hospital – as he wasn’t feeling well.
And says on a WhatsApp text.: “For what? Not aware.”
But SLAJ east Chairlady Victoria Bernard says Monday in part.
“Money exchange between myself and Toby has nothing to do with TV News [sic] …it [sic] our own issue and collecting our patron from Toby has nothing also with the issue of usman [sic] note that also,” Bernard responded via WhatsApp text.
She however wouldn’t confirm any amount – rather stressing it wasn’t a donation.
The sources are unnamed to prevent any harm to their well-being…like what the jailed journalist is going through.
“They went to his house, and he [Toby] gave them [SLAJ] Le200,000 [$20],” the source says.
The source however says the program has been in the making since May.
A second source with direct knowledge of Toby’s monetary exchange to SLAJ – or who may have spoken to other people with knowledge of it – said: “He says he gave them money.”
Another source confirmed that in fact, SLAJ had a fundraising program and were in the courthouse regarding that issue – and even met with Toby.
“This’s the first time I’m seeing this. The man belongs to an association, a recognized association in this country … Even if his actions were wrong, but theirs [SLAJ] own silence is worse than his,” the source says.
The source continues: “The only disappointment I have is with SLAJ …Their colleague is here, and they didn’t say ‘let’s put this aside, let our colleague be with us on this program.’”
Jalloh is a colleague, and also paid member of SLAj…but since his unlawful arrest and jailing by Toby, the association hasn’t issued a press release condemning the unlawful act – and demanding the release of their colleague.
Lamin Sheriff, media officer to President Julius Maada Bio, tells TV- News24 Friday, on the phone, that he didn’t hear of Jalloh’s jailing.
“This’s news, this’s news to me …What I want to know, is this reporter a member of SLAJ? So, SLAJ as an umbrella group, as a special body for journalists, are they aware that this man is in police net now?” Lamin Sheriff says.
Sheriff says he’d contact Nasralla, and get back to TV-News24 – but didn’t.
Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice Umaru Napoleon Koroma, says on a WhatsApp text he was abroad – but wanted to know what the reporter was in jail for.
“What were the charges? We no longer have any criminal libel charges. What was he charged with? Is SLAJ aware about this?” Koroma says.
More details to follow…
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