Cocorioko Publisher Rev. Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu yesterday corrected the MAKONI TIMES at Facebook , over an article the paper published, written by one Fatmata Yansaneh, under the title : “President Koroma in Kongosah scandal”.
According to the article, another example of irresponsible journalism in Sierra Leone, President Koroma “has been been mentioned in a KONGOSA scandal against the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Franklyn Kargbo.”
According to the article, “This was revealed in a letter addressed to Franklyn Kargbo by former friend and political ally of President Koroma, Charles Margai. In the letter dated 14th August 2015 Lawyer Charles Margai publicly revealed that President Koroma has gossiped (kongosa or talk about) his Attorney General to him. He wrote ‘When i spoke to Mr. President some time ago about your incompetence, his reply was apt. As the conversation between him and I was confidential, I shall refrain from divulging what was said.’ “.
The MAKONI TIMES reasoned that “When Charles Margai stated in the letter that the President’s reply was “apt” he meant that the reply of the President was appropriate supporting his view that the Attorney General was incompetent ” and concluded that ” If it is true that President Koroma has been involved in gossiping members of his cabinet it will be the first time a president is involved in Kongosa Scandal.”
Though government officials cannot respond to every rubbish put out on the social media against the President , Rev. Kabs-Kanu thought it appropriate and necessary to correct this particular trash and false representation of the Head of State .
HERE IS KABS KANU’S RESPONSE :
This is a complete misrepresentation of the President Ernest Koroma we have grown to love and admire for integrity and unbiased character. It is my opinion that Charles Margai completely misrepresented President Koroma.
Patrick Foryoh, when you meet President Koroma in person, you will know that he is not that kind of person. He listens more than talk. I have known him for over 40 years when we were yet teenagers at Fourah Bay College . He is not a talkative. He is a very quiet man, with his own mind. People who have lived with him will disagree with me on one thousand things but they will be quick to agree with me about this–that President Koroma does not engage in needless banter about other people.
Indeed, as President, if you take a complaint to him about somebody he will not necessarily dismiss you. He is obliged to listen to you . This is what Charles Margai may have misrepresented. President Koroma gave him his ears while he was complaining about the Attorney General, but it did not mean he supported his remarks. However, President Koroma is known to make busy on people who make it a habit to always go to him to gossip unnecessarily. Ask people who know him better to tell you about him. He does not encourage gossip.
By the way, why would President Koroma gossip about people he has the power to fire? He can use his presidential prerogative to take back his job from anyone if he is not satisfied with that person’s performance. Is he afraid of people serving him that he will gossip about them? I
Many people know President Koroma to be a very fair person. He listens to complaints but he does not act on them . He investigates first and gets all his facts before even taking sides. We who work for him often make fun about our boss being a true sarvice man. He follows up everything going on and he knows when to believe and when not to. He is not perfect. He is a human being like everyone of us but he is known to be fair to people. He gives everybody his due.
We should be careful of loose cannons like Charles Margai. When angry, they talk a lot and even misquote and misrepresent others. There are many people like that around us. When they have a quarrel with one person, they try to drag in others to their side and in the process create misunderstanding between people.
Please let us be careful what we write about the Head of State. As a public official, he knows he is game but all criticisms should be based on evidence and the character and past histories of officials. But in Sierra Leone, we do not give heed to these safeguards. If Jesus Christ were to come today, the holy man will be accused of infidelity by some Sierra Leoneans. This is a shame to us. This is a complete misrepresentation of the character of the Ernest Koroma we serving him and our country know about him.
Charlie Boy was just being Charlie boy, a confusionist and a vain babbler. Do not believe this nonsense.
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