The Office of the Government Spokesman has read with dismay an article in the Global Times Newspaper of Tuesday 20^th September, 2011 asserting that a Presidential Guard known as Bomb Blast was arrested in Jendema on the Liberia Sierra Leone border on allegation of an assassinated attempt on Julius Maada Bio, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) Flag bearer.The public is hereby informed that the publication was not just baseless but false with a deliberate attempt to bring the office of the President into disrepute and to castigate the seat of power.

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GOVERNMENT OF SIERRA LEONE

 

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN

 

FREETOWN/20^TH SEPTEMBER, 2011

 

Office of the Government Spokesman have read with dismay an article in the Global Times Newspaper of Tuesday 20^th September, 2011 asserting that a Presidential Guard known as Bomb Blast was arrested in Jendema on the Liberia Sierra Leone border on allegation of an assassinated attempt on Julius Maada Bio, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) Flag bearer.

 

The public is hereby informed that the publication was not just baseless but false with a deliberate attempt to bring the office of the President into disrepute and to castigate the seat of power.

 

The public is also informed that there is no Presidential Guard by the name of Bomb Blast.

 

However, an unknown man also named Bomb Blast was arrested on the Sierra Leone –Liberia border for his alleged involvement in the incident in Bo especially the burning of the All Peoples’ Congress (APC) Party Office. This individual has no connection to the Office of the President or the Security Guards.

 

In as much as the Government is tolerant and respects the freedom of the press, the press in turn is expected to practice responsible journalism in the name of objectively cross checking information before publishing.

 

Sylvester Suaray