Thursday May 4, 2006

COCORIOKO  is one of the internet newspapers enjoyed in Nigeria, NIGERIA MASTERWEB  has reported.

http://www.nigeriamasterweb.com/bookmksites.html

“I HAVE NO TIME FOR THIS KIND OF NONSENSE “, SAYS ANGRY CHARLES MARGAI

Monday April 9, 2006

The leader of the People’s Movement for Democratic Change ( PMDC), Mr. Charles Margai was an  angry man last night when COCORIOKO  called him for comment on allegations published last week by a Freetown newspaper that as Minister of Internal Affairs, he awarded contracts to his family.

COCORIOKO  reporter in Freetown, Chernor Ojuku Sesay , had just given the newspaper a run-down of public opinion on the allegations against Margai .The public, he said, derided the allegations against Margai and asked that the government set up a commission to probe instead  to find out how its ministers awarded contracts, since it was common knowledge that they  too gave contracts to their wives, families and friends.

This paper decided to interview Margai to get his views on the allegations , which would then be published alongside the public’s reaction. But Margai was in no mood to discuss the issue last night.Nor was he in the mood to practice a little courtesy.  He got so mad that he brawled at the Editor of this newspaper : “My friend, I have no time for this kind of nonsense .Good Night ” and he terminated the interview.

By his anger , Margai passed by a golden opportunity  to let this paper’s readers all over the world hear his own side  and reinforce the favorable public perception of the situation  ( According to Chernor Ojuku Sesay ,  the  public believes that the allegations against Margai  were  politically-motivated, timed to coincide with the official registration of his party on Tuesday.

Margai’s angry behavior was most uncalled for and unacceptable given the fact that he is aspiring to win leadership in a contentious country where such ugly accusations will surface now and again. If Margai’s supporters want to be taken seriously when they claim that their party leader will make a difference in Sierra Leone politics, they have to advice their man to put a lid on his temper  , especially when dealing with  innocent journalists.

When a journalist calls a politician to seek his comment on an allegation , he is doing his sacred job in trying to ensure that the politician has the opportunity to provide his own version. This is what democracy is all about.Everybody’s side must be heard. There is no way Margai can hope to flourish as a political leader in Sierra Leone without realizing this cardinal principle of democracy or  keeping a cool , respectful and humble head.

Whenever COCORIOKO  called Vice-President Solomon Berewa to confront him  with allegations against him and for his comment on  the unpleasant events  of the SLPP Convention in Makeni and the Margai arrest in Bo last year, the V-P  never lost his cool , but handled all questions cooly and calmly and took his time to express himself well. This is what is expected of Margai and anybody else aspiring for leadership in Sierra Leone .

We have gone ahead and published the result of our reporter, Chernor Ojuku Sesay’s conversation with members of the public on the allegations of nepotism in the award of contrcts brought against Margai .In so doing, we are satisfying our conscience by not withholding information from our reading public, but giving them the other side of the story  .We are an independent paper and we will only report the truth , whether the person involved maltreats us or not. We will never deny the squirrel his bunch of palm nuts.

We however hope that people who want to be our leaders will respect the press for there is no way anybody can  talk of democracy and accountability if he does not respect the right of the press to seek the truth.

 HOW SOME AFRICAN OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES CONTRIBUTE TO ONE – PARTY RULE AND FAILED STATES

By Emmanuel Abalo

Monday March 13 , 2006

The long term fiscal, political and developmental stability of stronger African nations in modern times is directly threatened by “failed states” largely due to a number of factors such as ineffective and weak opposition parties and conflict proliferation coupled with monumental humanitarian crises.

Consequently the problems posed by the failed African states continue to pose a stark distraction to moving the continent forward in the global effort of nations’ empowerment.

The focus on failed African states is germane to this discussion due to the fact that the continent maintains the dubious and notorious distinction of having some of the worst humanitarian and civil conflicts repeatedly and must rely in international donor assistance and peacekeeping to exist.

Today, the International Crisis Group, (ICG) reports that conflict situations or very weak nations span from Burundi in East Africa to Sierra Leone in West Africa and recommends close monitoring, judicial and security reforms in some of these countries to vigorous enforcement of international fiscal oversight of government accounting in one instance.

French President Mr. Jacques Chirac has expressed his own concern of the issue of failed states when he states, “World leaders once worried about who was amassing power; now they worry about the absence of it.”

Failed states have shown overtime that they can effectively and markedly threaten their neighbors, regional, continental and global stability. For example, the Mano River basin In West Africa made up of the countries of Liberia, Guinea and Ivory Coast remains a fragile region which has exported its brand of rebel incursions, gruesome genocidal tendencies and hundreds of thousands of refugees due to the initial implosion and destruction of the Liberian state.

Rebels from the Mano River basin are now being recruited to provide the “muscle” for all sides in the ongoing situation of the “No Peace, No War” in another West African hotspot – Cote d’Ivoire. This country risk immediate collapse without the continued presence of United Nations peacekeeping personnel.

This sub region remains an attractive magnet for black market gun-running, international drug trafficking, export and exchange of “Blood Diamonds’ for arms and a haven for international terrorists seeking a base for launching attacks against Western interests and their allies.

For example, the former Liberian President Charles Taylor’s regime is reported to have harbored and facilitated the movement of Al Qaeda operatives in Monrovia in addition to doing “Diamond trade” with them. Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for some of the worst terror attacks against the United States and its allies in recent years and continue to pose a threat.

Root Causes:

It is generally agreed that democracy presents the best alternative to dictatorship and non-representative government which breed the use or illegal and unconstitutional accession to state power. And so then the primary question for the pursuance of democracy in most African states is what is the basis of the state and the reason to be?

The answer to this question is bound to produce a fair amount of dissension. Logically, this dissension and its supporters, the minority, must have a genuine way to channel their grievances and seek redress in an organized fashion – thus – opposition political parties in a democracy.

However, just being the opposition party in name or during election year is not a panacea for the effective practice for democracy. Failed or ineffective opposition parties across Africa, over the years have, in a way, contributed to the alienation of a large group of the national population for which the parties were organized in the first place. Not all their troubles are self-induced. Some stem from election laws or government policies that weigh heavily against them.

Some African leaders have taken advantage of this vacuum of an “opposition political party on paper only” and metamorphosed into “monsters” and record breaking human rights violators. Incumbent leaders will apportion and utilize unlimited power as they can get away with without any check and or balance. In the Central African Republic, former President Jean Bedell Bokasa became Emperor Bokasa amidst unconfirmed reports of cannibalism.

Poor in resources and unable to rejuvenate themselves, most African opposition political parties appear set to continue to play a minor role for a long time.

The fractious opposition in Zimbabwe has unwittingly allowed President Robert Mugabe to mislead his nation into economic depravity and hunger. All of the ingredients for a violent uprising and regional instability such as – a disaffected military, marginalized population, human rights abuses, and gradual collapse of social and political institutions – may be present in this southern African country which was once the bread basket of that region.

In Guinea, current President Lansana Conte seized power military coup 1984 and managed transfer to civilian government 1993 based on 1990 constitution. President Conte strengthened power through harassment of opposition, students and press. Constitutional amendment approved November 2001 extended presidential term from five to seven years. December 2003 presidential elections widely considered fraudulent. Mr. Conte won over 95 per cent of vote.

The opposition in Guinea has been decimated though harassment by the government, financial woes and inability to mount an effective national and united campaign to challenge President Conte. The resultant is the slow demise and steady deterioration of social and political institutions in that country.

The fear in Guinea is how the vacuum of state power will be filled upon the demise of President Conte at some point.

In Liberia, diplomatic and human rights sources are already grumbling about the “no show” of the opposition since the inauguration of the Ellen Johnson Administration. It appears, due to high poverty level, most opposition politicians would rather hustle for a government job under the guise of the “need for an inclusive” government rather than fulfill their obligation of representing and projecting the views and interests of the minority who hold a different view for an effective democracy. The age old argument of some of these opposition politicians is “I have to eat before I talk politics.”

Recently in South Africa, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) swept local polls as a result of a weak and non credible opposition’s failure to capitalize on the Thabo Mbeki government’s failure to address glaring poverty conditions affecting about 23million South Africans, a 26 percent unemployment rate and bitter infighting in the ANC.

AN EFFECTIVE OPPOSITION ROAD-MAP

Opposition political parties in most African countries must first identify their rights as guaranteed in the national constitution and vigorously exercise those rights.

A credible opposition in Africa today must demonstrate that it is viable, credible and, above all, can focus on maintaining a national presence rather than ethic loyalties. They must see themselves as a government-in-waiting and fully capable of participating in the national life of the nation and not merely a party out of power and based in the capital. Its own philosophy and ideology must appeal to the largest and ethnically blind populace as possible to merit any relevance.

The opposition must also work diligently to attract the best minds locally that can research, develop and apply political, social, fiscal and economic alternatives to national issues for the general good of the nation.

Another ideal is the formation of a united opposition climate such as building alliances and constituency building capacity in an effort to yield a credible representation in elections. Long term planning for political maturity and ultimate governance is not a luxury either.

And so in an effort to break the cycle of contributing to one party state, dictatorship and failed nations, the African opposition must transcend “protest politics” and elect a path to national relevance.

About the Author:

Emmanuel Abalo is an exiled Liberian journalist, media and human rights activist. He is a former Acting President of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL). Mr. Abalo presently resides in Pennsylvania, USA and works as an analyst with CITIGROUP, North America.

‘DO NOT JOKE ABOUT THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTIONS’ : APC FEMALE M.P  TELLS TOMBO

By Chernor Ojuku Sesay

Wednesday March 1, 2006

The opposition All Peoples Congress female parliamentarian, Hon. Haja  Hafsatu Kabbah over the weekend told the people of the densely populated fishing spot of Tombo to register and  not make jokes with the next election “as this will be a live or die situation”.

She added that “we do not want any ?water melon’ meaning green outside and red inside. “We want people to be resident members of the party”. She boasted that, the APC will win next year’s election without any doubt.

Let us all come together for success and let us live for the sake of others. In addition, she pointed out that there is a current bank account opened for the York District with the sum of five hundred thousand leones (Le 500,000) at the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank for the 2007 elections.

According to the District Chairman, Hon. Amadu Bangura, the APC needs people with discipline. He advised the people to stick tothe party and to stop the ?water melon‘ habit.

Appealing to the people of Tombo to continue the struggle to bring Hon. Koroma to  State House, he added that Hon. Koroma has to leave a landmark before he exits form politics.

At the close of the programme, Hon. Kabbah presented Quorans, mobile phones, key holders and other gifts carrying the logo of the APC and the face of Hon. Ernest Bai Koroma.

KABBAH ALMOST CERTAIN TO APPEAR  BEFORE SIERRA LEONE SPECIAL COURT

Thursday February 16, 2006

President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah may have to appear before the Special Court unless a last minute  legal miracle happens. The Sierra Leone Attorney General and Justice Minister, Mr. Frederick Carew  failed yesterday to show the court cause why President Kabbah should not respond to a subpoena  issued by attorneys for War Crimes indictee and former Coordinator of the controversial Civil Defence Force ( CDF) , Chief Hinga Norman. . The Attorney General tamely promised that he will advice President Kabbah to appear before the court.

Following a no-nonsense  undertaking last Friday by the Presiding Judge of  Trial Chamber 1 , Justice Pierre Boutet , that that day’s postponement of hearing into the subpoena will be the last, the Attorney General at last appeared before the Special Court yesterday to argue his case on behalf of his boss, President Kabbah, after many requests for postponements .

Frederick Carew’s monumental task  now is to advance strong and convincing legal arguments to convince the court that it was legally inpermissible for a sitting President to appear before an international court .

If Kabbah appears before the Special Court, it will not only be a legal landmark, given the immunities enjoyed by sitting Presidents in Sierra Leone against appearance in courts of law, but it will provide the most earthshaking fireworks since the Special Court started sitting. For once, President Kabbah may come face-to-face with the man who was once a warrior on his behalf but with whom he is now engaged in bitter misunderstanding.

Chief Norman, during his testimony , did not fail to impress it on the court that Kabbah was privy to decisions he took on bealf of the CDF  as his boss. And Norman would hardly wait for his dream opportunity to grill Kabbah for once in such a public and international forum and put it to his boss that whatever decisions he took as Coordinator of the CDF had the consent of the President , even though legal minds are arguing that Hinga Norman’s defensive strategy to blame Kabbah for the decisions he took would not excuse him  from culpability for the serious charges levied against him by prosecution witnesses.  Though in the Criminal Law, an accused can use the command structure of an organization to explain the rationale for his acts, the law does also recognize individual responsibility for the planning and commission of a crime.

But it must be drummed home that as  always, an accused is innocent until found guilty  beyond a reasonable doubt. by clear and convincing evidence in a competent court of law.  As at now, Norman is innocent and the Special Court  it is who has the burden to prove that the allegations against him were true.  It is the same with Kabbah. Even if it appears to the layman that he had been implicated by Norman, he is still innocent in the eyes of the law  and has nothing to prove, the burden of proof being on the prosecution , if it comes to that, to show that what Norman said was true and  sufficirnt to have Kabbah himself indicted by the court when he retires. The testimonies of all the witnesses  against Norman and Norman’s statements   against Kabbah are for now only allegations. It is very important to emphasize these points  , since laymen have already taken sides in this stormy issue between Norman and Kabbah. The burden is not on any of these men to prove that what has been said against them was false.

In the Criminal  Law , the only time the burden of proof shifts from the prosecution is if an accused pleads insanity for his crime, in which case he has the burden to prove that he was insane when he committed the alleged acts.

Hinga Norman’s faithful Spokesman , Rev. Alfred SamForay, has however not missed the  opportunity to continue poking fun at the President and his Attorney General.

NORMAN VS. KABBAH

By Alfred SamForay

After nearly two months of hide and seek trying to keep President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah from testifying as a witness for the defence in the matter of Prosecutor versus Sam Hinga Norman, et al, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Fredrick Carew, finally appeared before the Trial Chamber of the special court for Sierra Leone this morning. Carew came to New England to show cause why his client and boss, President Kabbah, should not be subpoenaed to appear as a witness for Chief Hinga Norman. Carew’s apperance came as a result of an ultimatum by Trial Chamber President, Pierre Boutet, that Mr. Carew must appear before the court by today or the hearing will go on without him.

At issue is whether the constitution of Sierra Leone overrides the authority of the UN-backed tribunal in compelling Kabbah in his capacity as Head of State to appear as a witness before the tribunal. The Norman Defence argues that the statute of the court makes no provision of immunity for heads of state. Ironically, Mr. Carew himself had recently convinced the Sierra Leone Supreme Court that the special court has primacy over the Supreme Court and by implication is not subject to the constitution.

At the conclusion of both the defence and the Attorney General’s presentations, Mr. Carew wanted to know when the court will rule on the matter. The Chamber advised Mr. Carew that he had had more than adequate time to present his arguments and the Chamber will inform him when they are ready with the ruling. The matter was adjourned. As a result of Carew’s appearance, Defence Witness No. 3, former Vice President, Dr. Albert Joe Demby, did not appear today for his cross-examination by the prosecution. Demby is expected to appear on Wednesday.

Norman versus SLPP
Meanwhile, on the other end of town, arguments in the matter of Sam Hinga Norman versus SLPP, Jah, Saffa and Carew has been re-scheduled for Monday, March 20, 2006 on account of illness by one of the judges. The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone has been asked by former Regent Chief, Sam Hinga Norman, to decide whether the election, appointment or by whatever means of Solomon Berewa as Party Leader of the SLPP is constitutional under the various provisions of the Constitution of Sierra Leone. Norman seeks remedies including, but not limited to the nullification of the September 2005 SLPP Delegates’ Convention as well as to hold the said Solomon Ekuma Berewa personally in violation of the constitution for accepting the position of Party Leader while at the same time holding the office of Vice President of Sierra Leone. There again, the honourable Attorney General is defendant No. 3.

22 RUF ACCUSED GAIN FREEDOM IN FREETOWN

Thursday February 9, 2006

The vicinity around the Freetown High Court No. 2  in Sierra Leone was the scene of jubilation yesterday as supporters and family members of 22 members of the rebel Revolutionary United Front ( RUF ) rejoiced , following the discharge of the former rebels from further charges by Justice Patrick Hamillton.

The  released former RUF  operatives had been facing various charges stemming from the May 8, 2000 mayhem at the residence of the late rebel leader ,Foday Sankoh, where a demonstration by hundreds of people against the rebel leader  for the abduction of UN Peacekeeping Force soldiers by rebel fighters turned ugly. The agitated crowd allegedly started stoning the then residence of the rebel chieftain whose fighters in the compound retaliated by opening fire on the crowd which resulted in the death of many of the demonstrators.

The 22 people were ordered discharged by the Judge because most of them were in jail before the May 8 , 2000 incident. Furthermore, the Police never obtained statements from them. The judge however clarified that the men were arrested for specific alleged crimes and not for belonging to the RUF.

Those released  were :  high-profiled rebel fighters Akim Turay, Idriss Amid Kamara ,populaly known as “Leather Boots “, Sgt. Ibrahim Sesay, Lt. Christian B.E. Bultman, Vandy Kosia and Paul Veal.  Others were : Soriebah Mansaray, Junior Momoh, Lawrence Wormandia, Shelkh Abubakar Nabie, Kabbah Micheal Sheku, Amidu Baffor, Alex George Williams, Sheku Sesay, Emmanuel Williams, Francis Momoh Musa, Osman Kamara , Foday Turay, Aiah Alfred Bockarie, Ibrahim Fofanah, Idriss Dumbuya , Bai Kanu and Philip Moses Garber.

The Judge ruled that 4 others stll had a case to answer and committed them once again to the Pademba Road Prisons. They were : Tamba Maguie , Gina Brima , Sallieu Jalloh and Joseph Kamara.

WITH  ALL HER RESOURCES , SIERRA LEONE CAN DO BETTER

Tuesday February 7, 2006

First_Name:  Patrick Sheku
Last_Name:  Bockari
Email_Address:  [email protected]
Address:  6824 Rio Tejo Way
City:  Elk Grove
State:  California
Zip_Code:  95757, USA
Comments:  Dear Rev. Kabs Kanu:

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for providing this excellent forum, COCORIOKO, for Sierra Leoneans to express views on the state of affairs in our country. I am very impressed by what Joseph Seidu Sherman is doing. I am glad that your readers and opinion writers are clearly moving away from the traditional personal name calling to more of national issues like asking the hard question: “Why our country is underdeveloped when it has all those valuable natural resources?” This trend is particularly good as we near 2007 when we Sierra Leoneans will have another opportunity to pick our national leaders. “Why is our country so poor when it has so much wealth?” I want to publish two of my previous articles simultaneously:
1. “Sierra Leone Can Do Better.” and,
2. “If I am President of Sierra Leone.”

I want to see which of our leaders can stand up and say that they will do these things I have written, or tell us why they cannot be done! Attached are the two articles. Please provide links to them with an editorial to encourage your readers to read them. I am told the politicians in Freetown wake up to Cocorioko! Thank you Rev. Kabs:
************* Article 1 follows*****
Sierra Leone Can Do Better

By Patrick S. Bockari, California, USA.

It pains my heart to see our country struggling, knowing what I know without saying anything to my fellow countrymen and countrywomen. I write this piece with a deep sense of sadness for those ordinary fellow citizens, and even some politicians, trapped in Sierra Leone’s undeserved and unabated poverty, described by a former US Ambassador to the country as, “.not only a failed state, but a failed culture.” That is a damning condemnation of our country by the primary representative of the United States which is an architect of the significant failures of Sierra Leone – the mineral trading policies. Insult is added to my injury by the stupid “Mining Journal Outstanding Achievement Award” given to our country for, [they say] “raising the level of excellence in the mining industry,” according to Mines and Mineral Resources Minister, Mohamed Swarray Deen. People are laughing at our country which by its senseless 3% taxation on legally exported diamonds, gets only $3 million out of every $100 million exported. Ask Mr. Deen, how much does the Sierra Leone government officially gets out of $150 million in diamonds exported through the GGDO office? But this loss on diamonds is nothing compared to that on Rutile (ore of titanium dioxide)! Remember, for those who pick at issues, titanium dioxide is the source of titanium, the difference is an extraction process.

As you read on, the key question that keeps coming up is, “why is our country so poor, yet owns such valuable minerals? The answer lies in the reason why I feel so much pain for our country. It is the politicians and their inability to trade our minerals to generate the billions of dollars that can easily be generated from our resources. May be it is their lack of understanding. May be it is greed that makes them allow companies to exploit our natural wealth, at such a terrible cost to our people, as long as they the politicians are living well. With properly structured reforms in the trading of Rutile alone, Sierra Leone can generate billions of dollars annually to make our country one of the most vibrant economies in the world. Forget diamonds! I have no doubt in my mind that it can be done.

Sierra Leone’s Rutile, the source of titanium, is estimated to be 25 – 33% of the total world deposits of titanium dioxide in its easiest and purest form for processing. Without titanium, military jet fighters, commercial airplanes, advanced medical equipment and devices, satellites, space exploration vehicles, and many more CANNOT be manufactured with today’s technology. It may not be an exaggeration to say that titanium is the most important industrial mineral known today.

No other engineering metal has risen so swiftly to pre-eminence in critical and demanding applications than titanium. Titanium and its alloys have proven to be technically superior in a wide variety of industrial and commercial applications in such fields as aerospace, architecture, sporting equipment, military hardware, watch making, eyewear, medical implants, dental products and more.
Titanium is immune to corrosive attacks by saltwater and marine atmosphere, and exhibits exceptional resistance to a broad range of corrosive gases, acids and alkalis. Titanium is immune to microbiologically influenced corrosion and is physiologically inert and hypoallergenic. Titanium is virtually non-magnetic, making it ideal for applications where electromagnetic interference must be minimized. Titanium’s outstanding strength-to-lightweight ratio and its incredible resistance to most forms of corrosion have been the primary historical incentives for utilizing titanium in industry, replacing stainless steels, copper alloys and other metals.

The physiological inertness of titanium makes it available as a replacement for bones and cartilage in a variety of surgeries. Titanium is used for heart valves, pace makers, dental implants, artificial hips and joints. Titanium is also used in surgical equipment and wheelchairs. Titanium is used in metallic alloys as a substitute for aluminum because of its strength and lightweight, along with its heat and corrosion resistance. Alloyed with aluminum and vanadium (aircraft grade titanium 6.4), titanium is used in aircraft for firewalls, outer skin, landing-gear components, hydraulic tubing, and engine supports. The compressor blades, disks, and housing of jet engines are also made of titanium. The use of titanium has made space exploration possible. The Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo capsules were made largely of titanium. The space shuttle has many titanium parts as well as the international space station.

Titanium dioxide is extensively used for both house and artist’s paint because it is permanent and has a good covering power. Titanium paint is an excellent reflector of infrared, and is widely used in solar observatories where heat causes poor visibility. Titanium dioxide is also common in the production of pigments for paper, plastics, rubber, cosmetics, textiles, glass and ceramics. Titanium is used in heat exchangers and in desalinization plants because of its outstanding ability to withstand saltwater and atmospheric corrosion (regardless of pollutants). This also explains why it provides total reliability in many marine or naval applications. In metallurgy, titanium alloys are employed as de-oxidizers and de-nitrogenizers to remove oxygen and nitrogen from molten metals.

Any form of agreement that Sierra Leone might have signed in the past with Sierra Rutile or its current owner needs to be renegotiated. It is more than a shame, in fact, it is a crime for our people to be subjected to such inhuman poverty while foreign companies make billions of dollars from our natural wealth, then they turn around and use bogus accounting to hide their profits.

The Diamond trade is no better.

You have probably heard of the $140 millions or more in diamond exports since the so-called international certification or Kimberley Process. Go to the GGDO (Government Gold & Diamond Office) and ask how much of every $100 in exports gets to the Sierra Leone government’s treasury? It won’t be more than $3 million, and that is because the total fees is 1.5% with an income tax of 1.5% for a total of 3% government revenue. What is wrong with our government? Where else have you heard of a 1.5% income tax, especially on one of the main sources of income for the government?

Our government needs to sit down and think of ways to generate billions of dollars from our resources – the rutile, diamonds, fishing, bauxite, iron ore, the hydroelectricity, etc. Now I hear that the Bumbuna project, which has taken 30 years longer than it should have, and cost four time more than the original estimate, will only produce 50 megawatts instead of the 1,650 megawatts original design.  Even that, I hear the government cannot afford furniture for the project implementation office, and they are looking for donors to help. What a shame! All over Africa is the same – you heard of Nigeria and South Africa leading a group to beg the G-8 to help finance the so-called New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) annual budget of $68 million. Do you believe that South Africa and Nigeria cannot afford $68 million in a year? No! They can get that much per day if they any shame.

Have no doubt about it, I love Sierra Leone and Africa. And I have put in my share of efforts to help change things for the better in our country. I won’t be sitting here venting out my anger if I did not love Sierra Leone. But some times, I feel a deep sense of loss and sadness that my children will look back and see my generation did not try enough as a people to make life better for us and generations to come. If you have any comments, respond to [email protected] or call (916) 289-7662.

**** Article 2 follows*********
IF I AM PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE!
By Patrick S. Bockari, Mendekeima, Kailahun; California, USA.

PREAMBLE:

As president of Sierra Leone, my administration will accomplish a bold $6.5 to $8 billion five year revenue generating and spending plan under my economic agenda, SLAERP (Sierra Leone Accelerated Economic Revitalization Plan).  SLAERP will generate $6.5 to $8 billion in five years using innovative reforms in the trading of our strategic natural resources, create 1.2 million new well paying jobs, modernize all key public infrastructures, raise the minimum wage to a meaningful living wage that will support a high quality of life within the country, and make Sierra Leone the most vibrant economy in Africa.

Like most of Africa, Sierra Leone has more than adequate natural resources that, if properly traded, could generate government revenue and distribute wealth in the billions of dollars annually without the need for handouts or begging from the traditionally so-called donor nations.  Credible world economic facts support my position that Sierra Leone should not be poor, and it could be one of the richest countries on earth with one of the highest qualities of life. But where are we today with respect to other countries? We are rated by the United Nations at the bottom of the world in virtually every category of human and land development. Human Development Index (HDI) used by the UN to rate Sierra Leone at the bottom of the world is one of the strongest measures of wealth and its distribution in any society. Yes, our country has been through 11 years of a destructive rebel war. But the war is not even close to the primary reason why our country is so poor and underdeveloped.

Why is our country still led by virtually the same politicians and their younger cronies that have ruined and ran the country into the ground from about 1967 to date? Why is the rest of the country allowing these few old politicians to continue to recycle themselves into leadership positions at the detriment of our country and the prosperity for generations to come? Sierra Leone has a political leadership generation that has failed our country, our people, and generations to come. They are inept, visionless, and totally incapable of turning our country around. Their failures gave cause to the war, precipitated the war, and continue to inhibit our country’s ability to benefit from the vast international post-war presence in, and goodwill towards our country.  The rest of us have the duty, the right, and the numbers to say no and throw them out of leadership positions through the ballot box. Doing nothing about it in 2007 is no longer an option. They have to go!

The general elections of 2007 present unique and once in a life time opportunity for a new breed of leaders to take back and turn our country around for ours and generations to come. We need a new breed of young leaders who understand and possess the bold vision and innovative abilities needed to capture the matrix of the 21st Century global market place in order to build and sustain a vibrant modern economy in Sierra Leone. Unlike the Kwame Nkrumah and Patrice Lumumba generation of leaders whose visions were hampered by CIA and KGB Cold War politics, the current failures by political leaders in Sierra Leone are mostly due to innate or self-made problems. They are inept, with chronic colonial mentality and contrived mediocre thinking. They lack vision and innovation in a competitive global market economy.

The key revenue sources in our country (minerals, fishing, the harbor, hydroelectric and ocean tidal energy potentials, agricultural potentials, tourism and the country’s natural beauty) are either traded under pre or neo-colonial trade agreements, or exploited using primitive, cumbersome, and grossly inefficient methods of production, or simply left undeveloped. If I become president of Sierra Leone, I will do the following and more:

ECONOMIC REFORM & REVITALIZATION:

I have developed a spending plan of $6.5 to $8 billion for the first five years in office. Yes, $6.5 to $8 billion with a “B.” It lays out how my administration will generate the revenue. It shows the creation of the Emergency Economic Control Commission (EECC) which will regulate and oversee the implementation of the Sierra Leone Accelerated Economic Revitalization Plan (SLAERP).
These are the spending areas:
?    Build, maintain, and operate an integrated modern highway system to provide the foundation and facilitate a rapid and vibrant economy throughout Sierra Leone. The integrated modern highways will link all District headquarter towns with 4-lane, divided, full access controlled, grade separated concrete highways with built-in sewage, storm drain, communication, and power lines, and an aesthetically pleasing landmark concrete suspension Freetown-Lungi crossing bridge that will stand as a legacy of our time for generations to come. ($2.75 billion)

?    Return to the original 1973 design capacity of approximately 1,650 megawatts of hydroelectric power from the Bumbuna hydroelectricity and issue an emergency contract to complete the project in 18 months using modern public contract administration techniques. Rapidly construct a 350 megawatts of ocean tidal energy power plant between Freetown and Conakry  for the Western Areas and sale to neighboring countries. ($350 million)

?    Build a national irrigation and flood control system to facilitate year-round mechanized farming throughout the country. ($400 million)

?    Modernize the Freetown harbor to become the regions choice for transatlantic and interregional trans-shipping hub. ($300 million)

?    Provide guaranteed loans and legislative mandate to reconstruct Freetown as a modern city – A city block system with every house or town lot facing a street, and streets or roads in mountainous or hilly areas following contours or lines of almost equal grades not to exceed a national longitudinal grade standard, and introduce rapid modern construction materials and techniques to rebuild and renovate Freetown in five years. ($1.2 billion)

?    Modernize the airport and link it to our major cities and to our borders with Guinea and Liberia with an electric train system using the tidal ocean current electricity. ($300 million)

?    Create a Land Ownership Reform and Identification Commission (LORIC) to reform, distribute, confirm existing ownerships, and computerize every inch of land in Sierra Leone to be uniquely identifiable with digitized national terrain maps. Establish legislation to require private land title ownership insurance as mandatory component of land sales and proof of ownership. ($100 million)

?    Develop a fraud proof and well protected computerized national identification system to uniquely identify and perpetually store personal information with photos, of every citizen, resident or visitor to facilitate private loan financing and other financial transactions common and essential for competitiveness in the modern global market place. ($150 million)

?    Provide loans and grants to private companies that set up manufacturing plants using local or imported materials. An industrial manufacturing development department will set up guidelines for qualification. ($800 million)

?    General human assistance to indigent adults and children in the country. ($150 million)

?    Provide modern national defense with emphasis on territorial water, border, and mining area monitoring and security to include warning systems, 24-hour aerial video monitoring, and secured toll gate systems. ($500 million in phases)

?    Create and strengthen government revenue generating, control, and verification systems to prevent fraud, pay living wage salaries as incentive to discourage corruption, and provide for retirement and other benefits. (. ($1.0 billion)

TOTAL SPENDING                     =      $6.5 TO $8 billion

Revenue will be generated from the following: reform the trading of Rutile (titanium dioxide) $5.2 billion); Diamonds (1.2 billion); Fishing ($900 million); all others ($700 million).

In the coming couple of years, I will continue to look into how my administration will recover stolen
money from public funds, and from international financial institutions that might have violated established financial regulations in granting Sierra Leone over $600 million in loans for the Bunbuna Hydroelectric project that has taken almost 30 years longer than it should have, and cost us three times more for an end product that is scaled down to 3% of its original design capacity (from 1,650 original design to only 50 megawatts at completion). Somebody in either our government, the construction company, or in the international financial institutions that kept granting the loans did something very unusual to have kept this project going at the detriment of our country. If I am president, I will go to international courts, or seek international arbitration for a full audit of the Bumbuna project. Any wrong doing will be punished to the full extent of law. If it involves officers of the lending institutions or international construction firms, my administration will seek damages in addition to relief from payment of any improperly granted loans. There is no way Sierra Leone could have used $600 million on that project. Domestic and international corrupt individuals conspired to mismanage the funds and the construction project causing serious harm to the people of Sierra Leone. Under my government, those will pay the stiffest prices for the harm they have caused our country.

If you have any questions regarding my plans for our country, please call or write to me at:
Phone: (916) 289-7662
Email: [email protected] or, [email protected]

Thank you for reading and may God bless Sierra Leone.

As Attorney-General Still Not Ready.

Omrie Golley, Others complain of bad treatment

By Chernor Ojuku Sesay

Court spectators at the Freetown Magistrate Court No 1, presided over by  Sam Margai, yesterday grumbled loudly when Omrie Golley and two others facing Treason-related charges failed to appear in court.

The spectators were thrown into further speculations when the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Frederick Carew agreed with the Defence Counsel that the matter be adjourned for one week, adding  that during that time, the Prosecution would have gathered sufficient evidence to move the matter forward while at the same time, the Defence could also prepare their case properly.  This last statement however, resulted in the court spectators speculating that Omrie Golley and the two other accused persons are not guilty and therefore should be acquitted and discharged.  The Attorney General quickly added that “the mater is adjourned for administrative reasons.”

Before this short drama, the leading Defense Counsel, Charles F. Margai asked that the matter be stood down for thirty minutes to allow the accused persons be brought before the court.  However, after the thirty minutes expired, the accused persons were still not brought to the court and Mr. Margai told the court that normally, it is the accused persons who wait on the court and not the other way around.  He went on to say that even though the extra time he asked for had expired, his clients were yet to be brought to the court.  He added that there is yet to be any formal communication between the Defence team and the Bench and said that it is the Bench which should ensure that accused persons appear in court.

It was then that the Principal Magistrate Sam Margai enquired from the Chief Police Prosecutor, Mohamed Jobe about the whereabouts of the accused persons.  Mr.Jobe replied that these were the usual problems the Prosecution was faced with and asked that the matter be stood down again for fifteen more minutes.  He then told the crowded court that it is normal practice for the police to collect accused persons from Pademba Road Prison as early as 8:am every day.  He pleaded with the magistrate to allow him go to the prison to collect the accused persons, a request that was granted. In the Prosecutor’s absence, the  Attorney-General noted that it is lapses such as these that delay cases in the courts.  He later left.

Not too long after, Omrie Golley and the two other accused persons were brought to the court by Mr. Jobe.   Wearing a pair of black trousers and a green-stiped white shirt and looking ill, Mr. Golley stood in the dock with the two others.  By this time however, the head Defense Counsel Charles Margai had also left the court but left behind an associate Defense Counsel, Mr. Kowa who addressed the court.

He maintained among other things that his client had complained of unhealthy conditions at the prison and that he was not receiving the serious attention he deserves with regard the serious nature of his case. Mr. Kowa further told the court that even the Defence lawyers had been denied access to their clients at Pademba Road Prison.

Responding, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) O.V. Robin-Mason said these are the normal excuses put up by Defence counsels whenever they are faced with serious challenges.

The matter comes up again February 7th this year.

Lebanese Conspiracy

By Chernor Ojuku Sesay

Thursday January 26 , 2006

This Correspondent has  documents at its disposal that exposes a conspiracy between the management of Engineering and Construction Services (EACON International) at Wilkinson Road in Freetown and the Marine and General Insurance Company, (MAGIC) to deprive a poor and illiterate Sierra Leonean, Santige Sesay of his benefits after amputating his hand during work at EACON’s workshop.

Santigie Sesay, a Sierra Leonean was an employee of EACON International at the factory. On 25th June, 2003. Santigie had an accident with one of the factory machines and lost all his right hand fingers in the process. He was immediately rushed to the 34 Military Hospital at Wilberforce where he was admitted for a period of two and a half months.

Lt. Col Dr. Ansu R. Sankoh, the Surgeon at the hospital issued a medical report which reads partly:

“On examination, all five digits of the right hand were amputated down to the metacarpals. He was immediately taken to the Operating Theatre where Cosmetic Surgery was performed on what was left of his hand.

“Mr. Sesay was then admitted into the ward where he was treated for about two and a half months.   Santigie Sesay lost four fingers including the thumb-that gives a score of 60% disability. Please note that he is a right-handed man and this gives him a higher degree of loss. This indicates that the hand is no longer useful to him and we calculate this as total loss of such hand. In this case, we can arbitrarily give him an added disability of about 10-20% because of the psychological component which gives him a total of 70-80% loss”.

After receiving the doctor’s report, the EACON management headed by Hayssam Raad connived with the Lebanese-owned insurance company MAGIC of Samir Hassaniyeh, the current president of the Lebanese community in Sierra Leone to compensate Santigie Sesay with a pittance of Le 5,800,000 (five million eight hundred thousand leones). Since Santigie Sesay is an illiterate, the MAGIC management coerced him into signing a document that reads thus:

“In respect of a claim against EACON International Company Limited and Marine and General Insurance Company regarding injuries sustained in an accident on 25th June, 2003 at Juba. The receipt of this amount is for full and final settlement in respect of any claim arising out of the said accident against ourselves and Marine and General Insurance Company Limited and that we and all other are absolutely and finally exonerated and discharged from all further and other claims of every nature and kind whatsoever by us or on our behalf arising out or connected with or traceable to the said accident”.

Banekeh Village in Tonko Limba Chiefdom, Receives Le 930,000.00 Donation for School Benches, and Water well spare parts.

By Joseph S. Sherman, Washington, DC

The Features Editor of Cocorioko, Mr. Joseph S. Sherman made a donation of Le930,000.00 ($310.00) to a feeder school managed by the Sierra Leone Wesleyan Mission in Banekeh Village, Tonko Limba Chiefdom in the Kambia District.  The donation was made for the purchase of school benches and spare parts for a broken water well which is the only source of clean drinking water for residents of that village.

The feeder school was built by Action Aid, a British NGO, to alleviate the post-war illiteracy rate of children and youths of Banekeh and the surrounding villages.  Unfortunately, sustaining and maintaining the over Le20, 000,000 infrastructures is a big problem for the poverty stricken residents of Banekeh.

The Section Chief of the Village, Pa Adikalie, coupled with elders and youths of the village accompanied Mr. Sherman to the school to give him first hand information about problems facing students.  Indeed, it was a pathetic sight- no benches or desks for students to sit or write on- they sit on the bare floor during class sessions, broken blackboards, and the headmaster’s office used for storage of food and wood.

A representative of the Sierra Leone Wesleyan Mission, Pastor Bai who is entrusted to   oversee the smooth operation of the school when confronted about its deplorable condition, he attributed the problem to corruption and mismanagement of funds by teachers of the school.  Efforts to contact the teachers for their reaction proved futile.

One of the unfortunate things about Sierra Leone is that most students and residents especially in the villages don’t have access to learning materials or conducive learning environment. Even though the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) have invested substantial amount of resources to build schools, water wells and health centers, the problem of maintenance, sustenance and accountability for institutions entrusted to oversee these facilities has become a thorny issue for NGO’s and donors to cope with.

‘SLPP Downfall Is Getting Closer’

Says Christopher Coker

By Chernor Ojuku Sesay

Friday December 16, 2005

Former Editor of the SLPP mouth-piece, UNITY and now Editor of the Advocate newspaper, Christopher Coker has disclosed to this press that he has relinquished his membership from the ruling SLPP and has now declared support for the yet-to-be registered Peoples Movement for Democratic Change ( PMDC ) of  breakaway Charles Margai,  because, according to him, he believes that the downfall of the SLPP is getting closer.

Mr. Coker said “when I look at the past, the present and the future, I can safely conclude that the SLPP has lost its focus and totally lacks the leadership to better this country now or in the future”.

Mr. Coker went on to say, “I have lived around for so many years following political events unfolding in this country; and I can assure you that the downfall of the SLPP is getting closer and closer. I might not be a prophet but whatever I predict, in most cases come to reality. I have been SLPP throughout my life but I have now decided to quit finally”. He predicted that “come 2007, the elections will definitely be won by an Opposition party. But one thing that is certain, is that the SLPP will lose power in 2007. Quote me that I said this”.

Franciscans Big Do In Makeni

By Chernor Ojuku Sesay

Cocorioko Correpondent in Freetown

Wednesday December 7, 2005

The township of Makeni in the Northern province was awashed with activities by both the present and old students of the St. Francis Secondary School, the first Catholic Boys Secondary School in the Northern Province established December 3rd, 1958.

The programme kicked off on 1st December with a bicycle race for pupils. The following day was a candle night parade which attracted not only past and present Franciscans but outsiders too.

December 3rd was Speech and Prize-Giving Day in which students who had excelled during the last academic year were honoured with prizes.

One student who grabbed sympathy and admiration was Musa M. Kamara, an orphan, who lost both parents during the rebel war, but came out with the best result in the West Africa School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) in the entire Northern region and the second best in the country. He had a B3 in English Language, B3 in English Literature, A1 in Mathematics, B3 in Chemistry, B3 in Further Maths, B3 in Agricultural Science and a B3 in Biology.

“I am ready to further my education, but my sister who is presently taking care of me cannot afford to pay my university fees. This is my worry”, he  sobbed whilst receiving his prizes.

Delivering his annual report, the school’s Principal, Alimany John Sesay outlined the remarkable improvement the school has experienced over the past year in  discipline, academic excellence and social  activites. He mentioned that the staff strength in the school has catapulted to over 100 trained and qualified teachers.

The school, he went on,  apart from emerging as one of the best in the last sub-Regional examination, also emerged as the soccer champions in the North.

The Guest Speaker, Abdul R. Dumbuya who is the Chairman of the Tonkolili District Council, admonished parents to assist in the training of their children. “The teachers only have eight hours to spend with your children in the school and the rest is for you the parents”, he said.

Mr. Dumbuya spoke also about the manner in which children dress at present,  especially the girl child, a situation he blamed  on parents. He admonished the pupils to be steadfast and serious in their studies. “Where you are today, we were there yesterday and where we are today, you might be there tomorrow”

The President of the Old Makeni Franciscans Association (OMFA), Arc. Siray Timbo outlined the contributions which the Old Boys have made to the school over the past year  including the donation of football kits for the school from the OMFA-UK branch. He  read a  special message on their behalf. Also, Mr. Ambrose Levai who represented the OMFA-USA branch, spoke on behalf of the school’s members in the USA and presented gifts to the school

The Chairman of this years’ ceremony was Sheriff Mohamed Sapateh (SAPO) an Old  Boy of the school who has achieved  great academic excellence.

The occasion was climaxed by a march-past in and around the township with the school’s new brass band leading the parade backed by the  brass bands   of  St. Edwards Secondary School in Freetown, CKC and St. Andrews  from Bo.

Abass Bundu joins SLPP

By Chernor Ojuku Sesay

Cocorioko Correspondent in Freetown

Wednesday November 30, 2005

Dr. Chernor Abass Bundu, one time government Minister under the APC government, NPRC military junta and former Secretary-General of ECOWAS has finally gained membership of the ruling SLPP.

He made his declaration on Sunday, November 27^th at his home village, Gbinti in the Port Loko district.

Dr. Bundu commended the people of Dibia chiefdom and other guests who attended his declaration ceremony for finding time to attend the event.

“In Sierra Leone, one is either APC or SLPP. I have decided to join the SLPP today because my membership in the APC was suspended and I have no intention of going back to the APC. I now ask you all, if you believe me, my people to follow me to the SLPP,” he told his audience.

Many observers however, described Dr. Abass Bundu as a “political prostitute” and were quick to remark that Dr. Bundu’s move to join the SLPP was for the government to drop the charges of fraud and corruption that was hanging over his head for the past eight years.

In 1997, Dr. Abass Bundu was arrested and charged for stealing and selling Sierra Leonean passports to foreign nationals when he was Minister of Foreign Affairs under the NPRC junta. He admitted to the offence and agreed to refund to the state the sum of US $200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand US Dollars).

At a press conference in 1997 hosted by the then Attorney General and Minister of Justice who is now the Vice President, Solomon Berewa he informed journalists that the government had agreed to settle the matter out of court because Dr. Bundu had agreed to refund the money.

He informed journalists that Dr. Bundu had already started paying the money by issuing a US $100,000 (One hundred thousand US dollars) cheque. Few weeks later, Mr. Berewa informed journalists that Dr. Bundu’s cheque was a fake one and insisted that anytime Dr. Bundu returned to the country, he will be arrested and made to refund the money.

Dr. Bundu had been in exile since then and returned to Sierra Leone mid this year. It is not yet known whether he had refund the money or not. What is however clear is that Dr. Bundu had been lobbying behind the scene to have the matter dropped as a condition for him to join the SLPP.

HATS OFF TO PRESIDENT KABBAH FOR ENVIABLE ASSIGNMENT

Monday October 31, 2005

President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah deserves a pat on the back from every Sierra Leonean for the enviable international assignment he has been given–To chair the committee of African leaders to formulate suggestions about the stand to be taken by the African Union ( AU ) in   reforming  the United Nations Security Council.

The Tejan Kabbah committee will present its report in a special meeting of the AU  in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia today , according to a public release sent to COCORIOKO  on Saturday afternoon.  . Kabbah heads a committee that is composed of leaders of 10 African countries : Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, The Republic of Congo, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, Senegal, Uganda  and Zambia.

This is a glorious recognition of the intellect  and sense of duty of the  President that should make every Sierra Leonean proud. Kabbah may be facing a storm of criticisms at home for the lackadaisical performance of his government but  he still enjoys profound international respect .Infact, COCORIOKO  continues to receive reports that when he retires in 2007, President Kabbah may be offered a senior adviser position with the UN.

The terms of reference of the  Kabbah committee  includes  holding  consultations among African countries that want  to be permanent members of the U.N. Security Council . They would then try to  reach a consensus on reforming the U.N. Security Council. They will also work on how to get African members of the security council to have the powers to veto .

The Tejan Kabbah Committee will also look into the proposal by the African Union about expanding the council to 26 members , which entails an addition of  six permanent seats with veto power and five non-permanent seats.

COCORIOKO  joins many other Sierra Leoneans to congratulate President Kabbah on the enviable assignment he has been given and we hope he will be a catalyst in giving Africa the representation and vetoing powers she deserves in the UN Security Council.

TI  REPORT ON SIERRA LEONE IS DOUBTED : READERS SAY SIERRA LEONE NOT HALF AS CORRUPT AS NIGERIA

Thursday October 20, 2005

That corruption reigns supreme in Sierra Leone can never be disputed.But anybody who ranks Sierra Leone on a higher corruption index than African countries like Liberia and Sierra Leone is stretching the truth .This was the belief of many Sierra Leoneans interviewed by COCORIOKO  yesterday on the latest corruption report by Transparency International .

The Sierra Leoneans  were questioned  about Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2005 , which placed Sierra Leone  124th  out of 159 countries in the world, and on a higher index than Liberia and Nigeria .

Sierra Leoneans agreed that  their country was “very, very corrupt ” , to quote one of them. They expressed grave displeasure and shame in the fact that their country has not been able to drag itself out of the malaise of corruption , which they blamed for the economy collapse in the country.

The interviewed Sierra Leone also took a dim view of  the self-enrichment going on in the country at the expense of public funds  by  ministers of government and pulic officials and other corrupt citizens .They blamed the government for seemingly encouraging corruption by treating offenders with kid gloves.

However , the Sierra Leoneans did not believe that their country was more corrupt than some of her neighbours, especially Nigeria. They condemned international organizations for not doing their job well and at times providing statistics about Sierra Leone that are far removed from reality. One of the Sierra Leoneans said one only has to open his e-mail and see the floods of letters from Nigeria by people trying to dupe others to see that Nigeria is on a scale of corruption that the likes of Sierra Leone have yet to climb. Some people however opined that Sierra Leone was learning very fast from Nigeria and if present trends continued, we will find ourselves at the same level as that country.

Some of the Sierra Leoneans , who said they have lived before in some of the neigbouring countries like Nigeria, Guinea and Sierra Leone , accused the Transparency International report of not reflecting the truth when it  compares Sierra Leone’s corruption index  to these countries.

FATIMA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY TO OPEN IN MAKENI

Thursday October 13, 2005

Sierra Leone is to have another institutional of higher learning —-The Fatima Catholic University —to be opened in the Northern Province headquater town of Makeni by the Catholic diocese of Sierra Leone

Father Luigi Brioni , the Xaverian Provincial Superior in Sierra Leone , who made the announcement to the catholic news Fides Service, a copy of which was sent to COCORIOKO, said : “We want to give Sierra Leone hope through education….Most of the infrastructures were destroyed and it will take years to rebuild them. Education is one of the most serious emergencies. The government has launched a splendid program to guarantee all children primary instruction but it lacks schools, books and teachers. Unless children are guaranteed access to study a whole generation could be lost”.

Father Brioni went on : “The local Catholic Church wants to help and the aim of Fatima Institute is to provide quality instruction…In fact primary education is not the only need, it is necessary to prepare future leaders for the country. This is why we will insist on English language studies to enable students to communicate in an ever more inter-dependent world”.

The new University , which will also be known as the Fatima Institute , is being  promoted by Bishop Giorgio Biguzzi of Makeni and the Xaverian Fathers and according to Fides Service, it  “aims to form young generations to respect the gospel values of human dignity, the common good, the importance of truth and justice, moral responsibility. The little Catholic university will supply the country with experts in religion, education, social work and agriculture.

According to Father Brioni, October 1 was projected as the date for the start of classes.

JOHNNY PAUL KOROMA MAY BE ALIVE –Special Court Prosecutor De Silva says

Saturday October 1, 2005

Fugitive former military junta leader , Johnny Paul Koroma, who is wanted in Freetown for alleged Treason and War Crimes, may be alive,  Special Court Prosecutor Desmond De Silva intimated yesterday.

The Prosecutor said that Johnny Paul was reported to be alive last year and as a result the Special Court is searching for him. This revelation by De Silva now casts doubts on reports two years ago that Johnny Paul was  assassinated by former Liberian warlord and Ex-President Charles Taylor.

However, De Silva said that to an extent this was only speculation as there was only intelligence of a  kind, which he confessed  he could not call hard intelligence.Koroma, he intimated, was last reported to have been in Guinea.  One thing that was certain though, according to the  Prosecutor , was that the Special Court was hard on the heels of Koroma and former Liberian leader Charles Taylor ( Who is being provided  refuge by Nigeria’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo. ).

The Special Court Prosecutor disclosed that the court was negotiating behind the scenes for Nigeria to see her way clear and hand over Taylor who is also wanted for alleged war crimes against the people of Sierra Leone. Mr.Silva warned that even if the Special Court wrapped up its operations in 18 months, as scheduled, the two men would still face prosecution later, if found. A war crimes charge does not have a statute of limitation, former Prosecutor, David Crane, once said.

The court, De Silva went on, had to use diplomacy because the Chapter of the UN Charter under which the Special Court ‘s operations were authorized , could not be enforced militarily.

JOHN LEIGH REFUTES ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM

Tuesday August 30, 2005

Dear Rev. Kabs Kanu:

I hear through the grapevine that some of Cocorioko’s readers are complaining that as I campaign for the SLPP Leader nomination, I go about boasting that I am the most qualified SLPP Aspirant but that I have never explained the factual basis for this claim.   This allegation against me is not true at all.

In front of Party members in Bo, Kenema, Koidu, Makeni, Port Loko, SLPP Parliamentary Council and at Party Headquarters 29 Rawdon street, Freetown during July and earlier this month; and further, as a preface to my Manifesto entitled AGENDA FOR CHANGE, I patiently explained the factual basis for my deeply held conviction that I am by a very wide margin, far more qualified to occupy the SLPP leadership position than each and everyone of the declared candidates based on three fundamental factors: my work for our country, my record with the Party and my accumulation of proven leadership skills, and hence the potential for effectively addressing the problems that confront our country.

Attached is a summary of the reasons behind my claim of being the most qualified candidate for leadership of the SLPP.

I would like to make it perfectly clear that, ultimately, I am interested in only one position and one position only; namely, the Presidency of Sierra Leone.  If I fail to get that position, I will not participate in any government under any circumstances that is led by any person who is less accomplished than myself.  Please be advised that I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in the various positions frequently suggested in your media as possible consolation prizes, e.g. Vice President, Cabinet Minister or Ambassador.

If you wish to review my Manifesto please click http://www.changesierraleone.org/

In conclusion, I would very much appreciate it if you would link http://www.cocorioko.com/  to my website: http://www.changesierraleone.org/

Thank you for your attention and cooperation.

Sincerely,

John leigh

SIERRA LEONE FLOODING THE WORST SINCE 1945

Thursday August 25, 2005

Heavy rains that have persisted in Sierra Leone have caused the worst flooding in the country since 1945, a United Nations Humanitarian Affairs Bureau spokesperson said on Tuesday. The spokesman predicted that there would certainly be casualities.

Since the rainy season started in May, Sierra Leone has experienced very heavy rainfalls throughout the country.  The rains spawned mudslides in some parts of the capital of Freetown that led to loss of lives .Last week, Red Cross officials in the country reported that many villages in the Southern Province had been hit by heavy floods which wiped away scores of houses and rendered large areas of the affected zones inaccessible.

According to the Red Cross, victims of floods had abandoned their homes and fled for their lives.There are also concerns that deadly diseases like Cholera could break out . The farming season may also be affected leading to shortfalls in food production. For a country just recovering from a long and destructive civil war, the adverse weather and flooding have come as an unwelcome hazard to Sierra Leoneans.

 SLPP convention postponed indefinitely

Wednesday August 17, 2005

Tamba Borbor reports from Freetown

Lawyers for the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) have agreed not to hold any conference until the court case filed by Presidential aspirant Samuel Hinga Norman is disposed of in the Supreme Court.

This was made clear in court yesterday by Lawyer Eke Holloway lead counsel for the SLPP after lawyer Bu-Buakei Jabbie representing Hinga Norman had filed for an interlocutory injunction to stop the SLPP from “choosing selecting or electing” a presidential nominee at their conference which was scheduled to be held this weekend.

Addressing the panel of judges, Lawyer Dr. Bu-Buakei Jabbie emphasized that they are not opposed to the party holding its conference this weekend, but that if they do, the SLPP should not nominate or elect a Presidential nominee or candidate or leader of the SLPP. He further argued that it should be done at the conclusion of the matter before the Supreme Court.

Lawyer Eke Halloway replied saying that were ready to make an undertaking that they would not hold the conference until after the case had been decided on by the Supreme court. At this point lawyer Bu-Buakie Jabbie argued that lawyer Halloway had gone too far, and that they were not calling for a postponement of the conference.

Chief Justice Renner-Thomas joking remarked that Dr Jabbie was asking for ten dollars and he was given one hundred dollars and yet he was still complaining. But Dr Jabbie clarified his point that he was worried at the wide latitude of the undertaking because of the implications, which might arise when it came to considering damages for the action. The Chief Justice then agreed with him and after a few other clarifications the court was adjourned for an hour to allow both counsels to formulate their undertakings.

When the sittings were resumed almost three hours later the Chief Justice gave a six point order, in which he called on Dr Sama Banya (Chairman) Prince Harding (Secretary General) and Brima Koroma (Administrative Secretary representing the membership of the SLPP) to make an undertaking to the court that the SLPP conference to be held on 19-20th August or any other time in 2005 will not nominate or elect a presidential nominee, “candidate and/or a leader or at any other party conference thereafter in 2005 until the determination by this court of the plaintiff/applicant’s substantive application in the originating notice of motion of 27th July 2005.”

The Chief Justice further addressed Dr Jabbie representing Hinga Norman to give a cross-undertaking on behalf of Hinga Norman that they “shall abide by any order which this court may make as to damages in case this court shall be of the opinion that the defendants/respondents herein shall have suffered any damages by reason of the undertaking they have given to this court on the 15th day of August 2005 and which the plaintiff/applicant ought to pay.”

He also ordered that, both the undertaking and cross undertaking shall be perfected and filed not later than noon today. The Chief Justice further instructed that the notice of motion shall commence tomorrow and that all copies of all authorities to be relied upon should be filled with the Registrar not later than noon today. He ordered no costs to either party.

Assisting Lawyer Halloway in the matter brought against Dr. Sama Banya, Dr. Prince Harding and the SLPP Party are D.B. Quee, E.E. C. Shares-Moses and Anthony Brewah. The other Judges that constitute the panel of Judges are, Mrs. Justice Virgina Wright, Justice M.E. Tolla-Thompson, Justice Sir. John Muria and Justice Jon Kamanda.

Desperation in Gongoli Land

AWARENESS TIMES STORY ON COCORIOKO WAS COMPLETE FABRICATION : SLAJ BOSS DENIES TALKING WITH BLYDEN  AND COCORIOKO REPORTER TAMBA BORBOR FIRES BACK ANGRILY, CALLING HER  A VIPER

Friday August 5, 2005

This rebuttal was written to the COCORIOKO FORUM and the TWO LEONENETS  by the Editor of Cocorioko yesterday after investigating and confirming his worse fears–Sylvia Blyden , in her desperation to libel COCORIOKO and the Editor , made up the report in her AWARENESS TIMES  newspaper in which she wrote that she was asked by the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists Boss , Alhaji Ibrahim Kargbo and entire executive of SLAJ to refute the COCORIOKO  story that SLAJ  had ordered a press vlackout on the Police, Parliament and the government. READ ON :

AWARENESS REPORT ON COCORIOKO WAS FIGMENT OF THE EDITOR’S IMAGINATION

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
I just got off the telephone with the respected and credible President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo and he has told me in all sincerity that he did not talk with Miss Sylvia Blyden about the article in my paper on the news blackout which BLYDEN  said in her paper that IB, Karim Sei and the entire SLAJ asked her to refute. The whole story was a figment of Sylvia Blyden’s imagination. Neither SLAJ President Kargbo nor SLAJ  spoke to Miss Blyden. I just want you to know since the report appeared in the TAMU NEWS UPDATE today.

In her article, she said in the first paragraph:

NEWS
“SLAJ did not order a news blackout on the SLPP Government or Parliament or The Police” – IB Kargbo and Karim Sei
This morning, Mr. Ibrahim Karim Sei, the Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Alhaji Ibrahim Kargbo, the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and other Executive Members all requested the Awareness Times Newspaper to kindly inform the reading public in the Diaspora especially the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) that at no point in time did SLAJ ever “order” a news blackout on the SLPP Government, the Parliament and the Police as quoted by the notoriously libellous and slanderous Cocorioko website. CLICK THE LINK ABOVE TO READ THE FULL STORY.”
Aug 4, 2005, 10:30

Alhaji Kargbo said the last time she and Blyden spoke was during the funeral on Sunday August 31. They have never, ever discussed COCORIOKO. I have not spoken to Karim yet but you all know that Karim will not speak on behalf of SLAJ without the permission of the President. The fact that Sylvia Blyden lied  in the very first paragraph should condemn the whole article as a figment of the writer’s imagination.

SLAJ has very pressing maters and IB did not even know about the article in the AWARENESS TIMES which my eyes and ears   in Sierra Leone tell me,  is a poorly-circulating newspaper.

The SLAJ President gave me a very lengthy interview on all the Association is planning in relation to the death of Hassan Yansaneh. Infact the AWARENESS TIMES’ report became so unimportant  in our discussion that ,we spent almost all the time talking instead about the plans of SLAJ on Yansaneh’s death. Alhaji Kargbo is very upset about the death of Yansaneh and I was a little uneasy to have brought Sylvia’s “lie-lie” to him..READ THE REST IN COCORIOKO tomorrow.

Alhaji Kargbo is the second person to have today denied saying what Sylvia quoted them as having said against COCORIOKO. This morning, our reporter, Tamba Borbor wrote an angry letter condemning Sylvia Blyden and calling her a “Viper.”

Another whooping lie Sylvia told was contained in the following two sentences : :

“When Awareness Times contacted Mr. Tamba Borbor, the young man who is supposed to be the “Freetown Bureau Chief” of the Cocorioko (Cocorioko actually operates as a one-man show out of New Jersey), Tamba Borbor categorically denied ever sending such a news report to Kabs Kanu and his Cocorioko website.”

“The soft-spoken and polite Tamba Borbor showed Dr. Sylvia Blyden, the publisher of Awareness Times Newspaper, exactly what he sent out to Kabs Kanu as against what Kabs Kanu decided to editorialize and send out as a factual news report. A visibly upset Tamba Borbor promised to contact Cocorioko to request that the story be correctly reported with opinions removed.”

THIESE TWO SENTENCES WERE NOT ONLY A COMPLETE  AND DELIBERATE MISREPRESENTATION OF WHAT BORBOR TOLD BLYDEN; TAMBA DID NOT SHOW HER ANY ARTICLE . THEY ONLY SPOKE ON THE PHONE .AND MORE SERIOUSLY, THERE IS NO EXISTING ARTICLE IN WHICH I EDITORIALIZED BECAUSE EXACTLY WHAT TAMBA BORBOR SENT ME WAS WHAT I PUBLISHED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE HEADLINE WHICH I WROTE.

LOOK AT TAMBA BORBOR’S ORIGINAL ARTICLE SENT ME :

Date: Tue, 2 Aug 2005 12:16:21 -0700 (PDT)
From: “Tamba Borbor” <[email protected]>Add to Address Book
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Subject: news items…
To: [email protected]</[email protected]>

*SLAJ orders news blackout for Editor’s death

*Supt. Kalia Sesay suspended
The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) in concert with the Sierra Leone Reporters Union (SLRU) has endorsed an indefinite news blackout on all matters relating to the Government, Parliament and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) Force. This action towards the Police coincides with the suspension of Superintendent Kalia Sesay of the Central Police Station who woefully failed to investigate the assault complaint made by the deceased Editor of the For di People newspaper- Harry Hassan Yansaneh. According to Police sources, Supt. Kalia Sesay has been suspended because of poor investigation lapses. He has now being replaced by the Chief Superintendent of Police- S.B. Kargbo from the Kambia Police Station. Replacing Chief Superintendent Kargbo is Assistant Superintendent of Police- Christian Williams formerly of the Complaint Discipline Internal Investigation Department (CDIID) of the Police. Announcing the decision of SLAJ at the weekly P! olice Press briefing, Mr. Chernor Ojuku Sesay, who is Editor of the Pool newspaper said, “.Until the matter of the late Harry Yansaneh is charged to Court, we have nothing absolutely to do with anything concerning the Police.After his address, journalists from almost all newspapers in the country peacefully walked out of the Police conference room; bringing the entire Press briefing to an abrupt halt.

I did not editorialize the story.I just changed the headline and published the story verbatim ,.HERE IS THE REPORT AS PUBLISHED BY COCORIOKO

SLAJ ORDERS NEWS BLACKOUT ON SLPP GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT AND THE POLICE

Wednesday August 3, 2005

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) in concert with the Sierra Leone Reporters Union (SLRU) has endorsed an indefinite news blackout on all matters relating to the Government, Parliament and the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) Force.

This action towards the Police coincides with the suspension of Superintendent Kalia Sesay of the Central Police Station who woefully failed to investigate the assault complaint made by the deceased Editor of the For di People newspaper- Harry Hassan Yansaneh.

According to Police sources, Supt. Kalia Sesay has been suspended because of poor investigation lapses. He has now being replaced by the Chief Superintendent of Police- S.B. Kargbo from the Kambia Police Station. Replacing Chief Superintendent Kargbo is Assistant Superintendent of Police- Christian Williams formerly of the Complaint Discipline Internal Investigation Department (CDIID) of the Police.

Announcing the decision of SLAJ at the weekly Police Press briefing, Mr. Chernor Ojuku Sesay, who is Editor of the Pool newspaper said, “.Until the matter of the late Harry Yansaneh is charged to Court, we have nothing absolutely to do with anything concerning the Police.” After his address, journalists from almost all newspapers in the country peacefully walked out of the Police conference room; bringing the entire Press briefing to an abrupt halt.

DID YOU SEE ANY EDITORIALIZING BY ME IN THIS ARTICLE ? WAS THE REPORT NOT PUBLISHED VERBATIM ? WHERE IS THE OTHER VERSION THAT MISS BLYDEN  REFERRED TO , VIZ :

“The soft-spoken and polite Tamba Borbor showed Dr. Sylvia Blyden, the publisher of Awareness Times Newspaper, exactly what he sent out to Kabs Kanu as against what Kabs Kanu decided to editorialize and send out as a factual news report”.

You put the pieces together. Miss Blyden may have fooled herself into thinking that the version I wrote was different from the one Tamba  sent. She did not cross-check to  find out before making her disgracefully false assertion. What is the cardinal principle in Journalism ? Is it not to cross-check your facts ? Now, if infact there was never a secoind version in which I editorialized  , didn’t Miss Blyden lie whoopingly to you her readers ?

Consider this against  what Tamba Borbor told me today that she never showed Sylvia anything. They did not meet physically. They only spoke on the phone.

THIRD WHOOPING LIE BY MISS BLYDEN.  SHE WROTE :

“A visibly upset Tamba Borbor promised to contact Cocorioko to request that the story be correctly reported with opinions removed.”

FIRSTLY, WHY DID SHE SAY TAMBA BORBOR WAS VISIBLY UPSET ? THEY DID NOT MEET IN PERSONS. THEY ONLY SPOKE ON THE PHONE.

SECONDLY, IF THAT WAS WHAT TAMBA BORBOR TOLD HER, WHY DID HE WRITE ME THE LETTER  BELOW TODAY  ? ( I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT TAMBA NEVER TOLD SYLVIA WHAT SHE SAID .RATHER, TAMBA’S LETTER BELOW SHOWS A DANGEROUS AND SCHEMING SYLVIA BLYDEN IN ACTION

PLEASE READ TAMBA BORBOR’S ANGRY RESPONSE TO THE AWARENESS RAG STORY :

This is the angry letter written to me today by my reporter, Tamba Borbor , after the AWARENESS TIMES  article .

Tamba Borbor never showed the AWAARENESS TIMES PUBLISHER  anything.Infact, they did not meet in person. She called him to gossip about me. They never met physically and they only spoke on the phone.

This is the second  negative response I got today from somebody Miss Blyden so gratitiously quoted in the article against COCORIOKO. Everything she said about Tamba Borbor was a lie.

Date: Thu, 4 Aug 2005 12:46:45 -0700 (PDT)
From: “Tamba Borbor” <[email protected]>Add to Address Book
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Subject: i am very sorry…
To: [email protected]</[email protected]>

Hi Kabs,
i am really sorry for talking to a viper i did not how poisonous she is. actually, she called me surprisingly as i have never met her nor given her my mobile number. God knows where she got it. she started out telling me you might endanger my profession and future because you are mixing news with opinion. i truthfully did not say anything nut smile as it was strange. i have got to know you a little and sincerely i dont share her views. i actually thought when she called me that she would try luring me to work for her newspaer not knowing it about you. i am a young man but knows what i say to people i dont know much. i was like just smiling when she unravelled herself. the only thing i regret is talking to her without informing you. i am realy very sorry it wont happen again. Kabs we are working together and you should be talking to me like your younger brother you know. it is not everything i know about. she also disclosed plans to sue you someday and i a! ! ! sked why. and she replied that you wrote an article about christiana thorpe that people demonstrated for her being appointed to head NEC. She went on to say that i should be careful with you or else i might get into trouble. frankly, Kabs, i cannot be easily frightened you know and above all, i have never met nor seen you yet still you continue to be very good and tolerant with me. she cannot seperate us in any way as she did not unite us. i will forever be loyal and sincere and faithful to you. it wont happen again please and i am really sorry for chatting with her. regarding the camera, is it the one that uses the big memory card or the the smaller one. is it canon or what. i had cold yesterday and didnt come to work that is why i coul not send the storiesv on time. anyway, i am feeling a little better today. about the newspaper, i woulndt want you to put somebody at the helm of things who can be easily manipulaTED WITH MONEY. THIS IS THE NEW TREND OF JOURNALISM WE ARE EXPERIE! ! NCINF! IN THE COUNTRY SO BE CAREFUL. I AM NOT BLOWING MY HORN BUT ASK THOSE WHO KNOW ME I DONT HAVE POLITICAL FREINDS OR INTERESTS. I BELIEVE THE MEDIA SAHOULD BE “A FREE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS. WHERE IDEAS COMPETE” NOT TO GIVE UNDUE ADVANTAGE

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AS YOU CAN SEE from the SLAJ President’s denial of ever speaking to AWARENESS TIMES and this letter from Tamba Borbor, the AWARENESS TIMES STORY ON COCORIOKO and KABS KANU was a figment of the publisher’s imagination. She concocted it.

THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE ANY REPORT IN AWARENESS RAG ABOUT COCORIOKO or the Editor, try to check back on the names quoted in the paper .More often than not, the sources will tell you that they never spoke with Sylvia Blyden.

Journalism is definitely not for Sylvia Blyden. Any publisher who can lie that she was spoken to by sources when infact they did not is a disgrace to the profession. When will Sylvia Blyden ever grow up ?

Please visit our forum for more angry responses from forumites who accused Miss Blyden of being obsessed with the Editor of COCORIOKO. http://www.patrioticforum.com

Inquest demanded into For Di People Editor’s death

Saturday June 30, 2005

Tamba Borbor reports from Freetown

Journalists have unanimously called for an inquest into the death of the editor of ?For Di People” Newspaper Hassan Henry Yansaneh who had his home calling Thursday 28th July at a private clinic.

At a well-attended emergency SLAJ meeting held yesterday morning at SLENA journalists agreed to a proposal that the authorities should set up an inquest into the death of the former Mass Communication student at FBC. The purpose of the inquest is to ascertain whether it was the alleged beating by her former landlady, the Hon Fatmata Hassan relatives that aggravated the kidney problems affecting Yansaneh, which eventually led to his death yesterday.

However the funeral committee established by SLAJ has announced that the late editor will be laid to rest on Sunday after funeral prayers at the Central Mosque at 2p.m and interment at the Kissy Road Cemetery. The news of his death did not come, as a surprise to many of his colleagues who saw his picture in the newspapers last week. Sources close to the deceased have revealed that he had the best result in his class before ill health prevented him from taking this term’s exams.

JUDGEMENT DEFERRED IN EX-SPECIAL COURT MAN’S CASE

Friday July 22, 2005

Tamba Borbor reports from Freetown

Judgment has been deferred in the case of the former Special Court employee; Peter Halloran whose appeal hearing was slated for final judgment at the Appeal Court, presided over by Sir. John Muria, Justices Abel Stronge and Umu Hawa Tejan-Jalloh yesterday. The judgment was deferred after COCORIOKO learnt that one of the three judges; Justice Abel Strong failed to appear in court.

It was understood that Justice Stronge had been served notice to proceed on vacation, which would last for two months. The two other judges waited for his arrival to no avail. Counsel Brown Marke and A.K.A. Barber were summoned into the chambers of Justice Sir. John Muria where the matter was adjourned indefinitely.

The former head of Victoria’s homicide squad in Melbourne, Australia appealed against a child sex conviction slammed against him on February 21 at the Freetown High Court. Justice Samuel Ademusu, who convicted him of sexual assault, acquitted him of three other charges. His legal counsel, Nicholas Brown-Marke appealed against the sexual conviction citing wrong decisions in law by the trial judge, misdirection in law and fact coupled with the sentence.

Lawyer Brown-Marke during his arguments before the three judges- Sir. John Muria, Abel Strong and Umu Hawa Tejan Jalloh cited that the sentence of 18 months imprisonment on the appellant was manifestly excessive, being a first time offender. During his almost two hours arguments, Counsel Brown-Marke cited that the trial judge erred in law and in fact in failing to exercise the discretion given to him by Section 231 of the Criminal Procedure Act, 1965, namely to impose a fine on the appellant, instead of a term of imprisonment. Countering his argument for the State was Lawyer A.K.A. Barber who emphasized that the trial judge did not err in law in convicting the accused.

Sierra Leone soldiers  in Liberia were happy about the overthrow’- witness discloses 

Tuesday July 21, 2005

Tamba Borbor reports from Freetown

 Giving his evidence before Trial Judges of the Special Court, Prosecution witness TF1-045 said that members of the Sierra Leone Army (SLA) in Liberia by then were happy about the overthrow of the legitimate Government of President Tejan Kabbah.

In his testimony, the witness explained that the troops were in Liberia on a peacekeeping mission.  After the announcement on radio that the ARFC had overthrown the Government of Tejan Kabbah, the witness said that they went to Monrovia to confer with the troops there and also to try and contact Sam Bockarie alias Mosquito who by then was in Freetown.

Upon their arrival the witness said, they met an adjutant of the Sierra Leone contingent who informed that they (AFRC) had overthrown the government. The witness together with the Commander with whom he was working with were taken to the communication room where the Commander spoke with Mosquito who gave them orders that the Commander should move to Freetown immediately as Foday Sankoh has been appointed as the second man to Johnny Paul Koroma. “The reason why Commander B should come to Freetown was to form a delegation and to review the Yamoussoukro Peace Accord. “We then took a vehicle, which left Monrovia to Buedu and then we walked on foot to Daru onto Kenema where we met Mosquito at NIC building where he was residing.”,the witness disclosed.

During this meeting, Mosquito briefed Commander B about the overthrow and referred to the AFRC soldiers as their brothers. He said that Foday Sankoh’s appointment stands even though he was under arrest in Ivory Coast. “He then gave a vehicle to Commander B which took him to Freetown,” the witness narrated. He explained that he was with Mosquito for three weeks and later sent to Tongo where he was engaged in mining in Tongo, where there were AFRC fighters and some factions of the RUF. “The civilians were forced to mine for the troops. Committees were formed to search for civilians so that they would not escape the town but to mine for the troops.”

TF1-045 narrated that he was with the RUF from 1991 until 200 as he was captured in his village in Mjewoma in the Pujehun District and was taken to Gigiwolo where he was trained together with some men from Liberia who were referred to as “Vanguard”.

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