Sierra Leone News

  The main opposition All Peoples’s Congress Party lower level election rules gazzetted by the Political Party Registration Commission (PPRC) for a Period of one month has ended yesterday Thursday 11th August 2022. The election rules were developed by the APC Interim Transition Governance Committee (ITGC ) in accordance with Justice Adrian Fisher’s Judgement and the APC 2022 Party Constitution of protesters/ rioters who lost their lives in the incident. These rules were agreed upon unanimously with one voice by members of the ITGC and forwarded to PPRC for its to be gazzetted as dictated by the 1991 national constitution of Sierra Leone.   But the gazzetted elections rules have received many objectors to certain inserted notably the amount of cash tagged to pay for any member to qualify to contest for The Flagbearer position. The committee price tags for the flag-bearer was five hundred million Leones ( Le 500,000,000) or fifty thousand united States Dollars (IS$50’000) The ot...

  In a bid to foster better synergy and good working relationship with the Sierra Leone Police, the All Political Parties Association (APPA), has on Tuesday 9th August 2022, paid a courtesy call on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. William Fayia Sellu at Police Headquarters in Freetown . Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the National Chairman of APPA, Osman Koroma intimated that it was to congratulate the IGP on his new appointment and to reassure him of their fullest commitment and support in his drive to effectively manage and secure the State and its citizens. He maintained that they, as an association, believe in the rule of law and institutions, as enshrined in the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone. He stressed that APPA is not an opposition platform to condemn or bash at the government but rather to complement the developmental strides of government for a better Sierra Leone. Adding, that APPA can as well be critical of government’s wrong doings and can condemn, where ...

  Popular Sierra Leonean Content Producer, Author, Writer, TV host, and Podcaster Vickie Remoe has reacted to president Bio’s Nation address in the wake of the August 10 Demonstration. According to Vickie Remoe, the Speech was a missed opportunity. Sounded more like a campaign speech than a Presidential address after a national tragedy. Vickie went further to state that the president Should have spoken directly to the youth in Krio and assured them government hears their concerns

The Africanist Press has revealed from the transactions from the Bank Of Sierra Leone that Show that President Maada Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio took Us$178.315.60 as personal per diem during recent trip to London. “This is what the President and the First Lady of Sierra Leone took along with them to the UK as personal per diem during their recent private visit to London, UK. This is exclusive of the more than £94,000 that was transferred to the Sierra Leone High Commission in London for his travel expenditure,” the editor of Africanist Press, Chernoh Bah stated on social media. Full details of the revelation made by the Africanist Press is stated below: “The following transactions show that a total of US$178, 315. 60 was jointly withdrawn by President Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio as personal per diem ahead of their recent trip to London, UK. These transactions do not include the total amount of £94,050 transferred to the Sierra Leone High Commission in London in the name of his tri...

  The Interim Chairman of the main opposition, All People Congress (APC), Alfred Peter Conteh has said that the party has nothing to do with August 10 violent anti-government protests in Freetown and the Northern part of the country. Conteh made this stance in an interview with the BBC, responding to accusations made by President Maada Bio and members and supporters of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) that the APC supported the violent anti-government that resulted to the death of 17 police officers and citizens. In his interview with the BBC and his address to the nation last night, President Bio accused the opposition of aiming to topple his government and that the protests has nothing to do with the rising cost of living in the country. “This was not a protest against the high cost of living occasioned by the ongoing global economic crisis. The chant of the insurrectionists was for a violent overthrow of the democratically-elected Government,” he said. “Before Augus...

 The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio during a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) interview on Thursday, August 11 2022, described the Free Quality School Education (FQSE) as a huge, ambitious but necessary project for every child in Sierra Leone. “That is a huge undertaking that is taking a large amount of money every month. We are providing school fees, we are providing core textbooks, we are providing teaching and learning materials, we are providing subsidies to schools, we are providing transportation in most of the cities, we are providing school feeding for most parts of the country,” President Bio said. According to the President, these are very expensive undertakings at a point when the global economy is facing difficulties, but the government has made that effort just to make sure that they equip the young people, place them in a position where they will be able to gain employment. “We do agree that most of the youths are unemployed and we do...

  British  High  Commissioner  to Sierra Leone, Lisa Chesney on Thursday  11th August 2022 remarked that there  is no room for violence to Bring About Change. Her Excellencey Chesney was speaking at a high level meeting  convened  by the Government of Sierra Leone with the international  community in respect  of the August 10th unfortunate  incident that resulted  to the loss of lives and  properties  in the conference hall of the Ministry  of Foreign and international  cooperation on Tower Hill in Freetown were cabinet ministers, and other senior diplomats . As she acknowledged that fundamental rights of the citizens goes with responsibility. However, she expressed  concern over civilian causualities, while the Foreign Affairs Minister was saying  there were 6 Civilians Kill, the National Security Coordinator,  Abdulai  Caulker was saying there were Killed  during  the Violent ...

Chair of the joint AU- COMESA Election  Observer Mission to Kenya, HE Ernest Bai Koroma  on Sunday embarked on a back to back consultations with the leading candidates and a host of other elections stakeholders in Kenya. He started off  by chairing a very impactful meeting of the eleven international elections observer missions and Kenya's main opposition leader the Rt Hon. Raila Odinga. Mr Odinga was accompanied by his deputy Hon. Martha Karua & senior officials. Former President Koroma acknowledged the centrality of Mr Ordinga to the whole electoral process, including the much anticipated peaceful transition. He also underscored the importance a peaceful and stable Kenya to the peace and stability of the East African region and to the rest of Africa. The Odinga delegation responded with a recollection of the challenges they experienced with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and the courts since 2002 through to 2017 as reasons underpinning th...

  1. Today, I greet you with a heavy heart. Let us mourn for and pray to God/Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to grant eternal peace to our police officers and other citizens who were violently killed on the 10th of August, 2022. 2. On that day, the peace, security, and stability of this nation were shattered by persons whose insurrection was pre-meditated, well-planned, financed, and executed with shocking brutality. Before August 10th, they had severally identified themselves on social media as APC Warriors, PPP, and persons who are determined to capture political power even at the cost of hundreds of lives. 3. For some time now also, some politicians have been raising tensions with divisive language and threats to make this country ungovernable. Their known surrogates and associates have stated that they will continue to illegally use violence to unseat the democratically elected Government. The events of August 10 were a clear statement of their collective intent. 4. The Constitution ...

  President Julius Maada bio is set to address the nation of Sierra Leone, today Friday 12th August. The Presidential Press Secretary, Yusuf Keketoma Sandi revealed this in a statement on Friday afternoon. According to Keketoma, H.E the President and Commander-in-Chief, Julius Maada Bio will address the Nation today Friday 12th August at 8:00pm on the Events of the Violent and Bloody Insurrection of 10th August 2022. Tune in to SLBC TV and other TV/Radio stations across the country.

 The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet has been alarmed by reports of several deaths and injuries in violent anti-government protests in Freetown and other parts of Sierra Leone. The UN Commissioner issued a statement on the violent protest in rocked the nation on Thursday 11 August 2022. Check out the full Comment made by UN High Commissioner for waeHuman Rights Michelle Bachelet below: “I am alarmed by reports of several casualties and fatalities yesterday in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown during public protests. I call on the Government of Sierra Leone to hold prompt, impartial and thorough investigations into yesterday’s violence and bring those responsible to account regardless of their status and political affiliation. I urge all sides to embrace dialogue. Sierra Leone must remain firmly on the path of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The authorities should facilitate rather than seek to prevent peaceful protests, and desist from unne...

As peaceful protesters were demonstrating on August 10, the PWD Police post in Freetown was one of the places made a target of theft and vandalism by looters who overshadowed the peaceful protest. These desperate thugs were spotted looting the police building for valuable properties as officers took to the streets. Destroying the gateway, young men are seen looting the many motorbikes that were parked at the station, break opening stores and taking away the bags of rice that were stored for the use of the police officers. Taking turns to carry the items, a man is seen carrying the office furniture, another with a freezer on his head and another carrying the office television. What is more shocking is that amongst these looters, a woman is seen rushing into the office building to take something for herself.

  SLPP Reacts to Violent Anti-Government Protests The SLPP noted that they strongly condemned the criminal attempt to overthrow their democratically elected government. Check out full details of the press statement signed by Chairman of the SLPP, Dr. Prince Alex Harding below: ‘The Sierra Leone Peoples Party is appalled at the ugly events of Monday August 8 which reached its crescendo yesterday August 10, 2022 when a section of malcontents attempted to violently take over the reigns of government. The SLPP unequivocally condemns this unholy act of attempting to hijack power from the democratically elected government. Since April 2018, when the people of Sierra Leone gave the mantle of state authority to President Julius Maada Bio and the SLPP, some rejected and dejected people have vowed to obstruct the peace and security of the country. The activities of the main opposition APC have been consistently directed at rocking the smooth sail of the ship of Sierra Leone under the astute ...

  The work of a journalist is among the most dangerous career paths to take. Reasons to this is because, journalist, despite at the ring of war he is always ready to risk his life to inform citizens and the outside world on the happenings of the situation. Among those that have taken this risk is Umaru Fofana. Umaru Fofana has over the years reported the happenings of Sierra Leone to the world through BBC. Following to this unfortunate protest, which was initially planned as a peaceful protest but later orchestrated to a bloodshed. BBC reporter Umaru Fofana was astonished to the allegations levied on him as a result of the August 10th protest. According to the allegations, Umaru Fofana was in a Land cruiser on the said protest day with armed police officers and brutalized protesters in Waterloo. The allegations continued that, Umaru Fofana even asked that some women who had been arrested be shot by the police but the police refused to do such. The BBC reporter seeing this news circ...

  In the early hours of Friday 12th August 2022, Capitol Times Newspaper received an intelligence of overnight demolition of market stalls at Sani Abacha Street, one of the famous street market in Freetown.  Kargbo, a local trader at Abacha intimidated this medium that they woke up very early this morning to take out their businesses, only to arrived and find their stalls completely destroyed by unknown people. She expressed dissatisfaction over the issue. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Freetown City Council (FCC), Yvonne Aki-Sawyer has refuted Social Media claims of not participating in the demolition of market stalls at Sani Abacha Street in Freetown. Mayor Aki-Swayer in her tweet post denied that FCC is not responsible and didn’t partake in any overnight operations during the curfew. “Learnt via photos on social media that market stalls at #Abacha Street Market were destroyed overnight. Have also seen posts that #FCC is responsible. Would like to inform the general public that FCC...

 The President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio has said that the August 10 anti-government protest in some parts of Freetown and in North was not a protest, but terrorism at the highest level. The president made this statement in an interview with the BBC on Thursday evening. President Bio started by extending sympathy to the families of those that died in the violent protests, adding that the situation is getting gradually calm and quiet in the country. The security forces are fully deployed to make sure there is no further deterioration of the situation, and there are arrangements in place to make sure we improve the situation,” he said. President Bio further said that the protest could be politically motivated as there are individuals that had been putting pressure on people to go out and protest. “What happened yesterday (on Wednesday) was definitely not a protest, it was a terrorism at the highest,” he said. Bio noted that there are some Sierra Leoneans living in the diaspor...

  The Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Transport and Aviation in collaboration with Motor Drivers Union have today, Thursday 11th August 2022 announced new transportation fares for various destinations within the Municipality of Freetown and across the country. The announcement surfaced the web on a press release by the Ministry on a further reduction of fuel pump prices from Le19 to Le18 per litre. On a press release from the Ministry of Transport and Aviation, it reads: “Following the public pronouncement on the decrease in the pump price of fuel per litre for Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene from Le 19 to Le 18, the General public is hereby informed that the Ministry of Transport and Aviation in collaboration with the Motor drivers Union and other key Stakeholders in the Transport Sector have agreed as follows for public transportation fares within the Freetown Municipality and the Provincial/Across-Border Routes effective Thursday 11th August, 2022.” Below are the ...

 The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has today issued preliminary report of the destruction of property and loss of lives by violent protests on August 10 2022 in Freetown and other parts of the country. Summary of the report states that: 4 Police Officers were killed nationwide; 4 Police Officers were injured nationwide; 113 suspects were arrested for both North-West and North-East regions as of now; scores of public and private property destroyed. “Following violent protests and demonstrations in parts of the Western Area (Rural and Urban), North-East and North West Regions on Wednesday August 10, 2022, the Media and Public Relations Department of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is taking the pains to release a preliminary report of available records, in respect of fatalities and injuries sustained by personnel and also government and police property destroyed during the violent protests and demonstrations,” SLP stated. Check out details of the preliminary investigation below:

 After the rising bloody demonstration on August 10th, 2022 that leads to the loss of many lives and properties including security personnel in some parts of the country, statements have been made by different organizations, groups, and individuals to condemn the act. The All People’s Congress as the main opposition party has also made a statement which they start by sympathizing with families who lost their loved ones through the demonstration. They went further to state that as a political party they condemn all forms of violence and are reminding stakeholders that citizens have the constitutional right to engage in a peaceful protest. They also state that the security sector has the mandate to protect the lives and properties of citizens. They said as a party, they will continue to reaffirm and reinforce commitment to sustainable peace and national cohesion. They call on all stakeholders to de-escalate tension and fully respect the rule of law and rights of citizens. They ends b...

  After a bloody demonstration in some part of the country which has led to lost of lives on Wednesday 10th August 2022, the United Nations Resident Coordinator Babatunde Ahonsi has called for calm and dialogue over the spate of violent incidents that occurred in Freetown earlier in the day. In a tweet issued on his Twitter account and later retweeted by the official UN in Sierra Leone Twitter accou.nt, Mr. Ahonsi said, “The United Nations in Sierra Leone expresses serious concerns over the violent incidents that occurred today in Freetown, including reports of causalities”. The highest-ranking UN official in the country also indicated the United Nations’ willingness to facilitate such dialogue.

  Protest usually leads to the loss of lives and properties as those engaged in the act are always seen with different weapons and Sierra Leone’s August 10th, 2022 protest is not an excuse. In the early hours of Wednesday 10th August 2022, youths were seen in different streets in some parts of the country protesting over the high cost of living conditions in the country. After this unfortunate incident, popular mad man Blacker has called on Sierra Leoneans to stop the habit of taking directives from people in the diaspora. He said Sierra Leone is not into war for such unfortunate things to be transpiring. He called on citizens to allow the government runs the affairs of the state in a peaceful manner. He ends by calling on all to go about their normal businesses tomorrow.

Prominent Lawyer Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marah has questioned the Legality of the nation wide curfew declared today Wednesday 9th August 2022. The Legal luminary posted on his Twitter page that “Unless the National Constitution is suspended, a national CURFEW cannot be declared in the absence of a declaration of state of Emergency in the Whole or part of Sierra Leone. I understand the need for tough response but security measures mustn’t breach the Supreme Law.” The curfew was declared by his Excellencey the Hon. Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. The said curfew shall be in force from 3pm on the 10th August, 2022, to 7am of 11th August 2022.  

  Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio and the first lady, Fatima Maada Bio have arrived Sierra Leone through the Lungi airport on Wednesday night, sources have told Sierraleonenews. The duo had departed Sierra Leone for a private visit to London, United Kingdom on Thursday, July 28, 2022 just 24 hours after the controversial sacking of the former Inspector general of police, Ambrose Sovula. Their arrival comes in the wake of violent protests that rocked Freetown and other parts of Sierra Leone on Wednesday. In the last three days that the President Bio had been out of the country there have been anti government protests in Freetown and the South, leading to the death of unspecified number of people, and the killing of at least two policemen on Wednesday. Vice President Juldeh Jalloh handled the situation while President Bio was out of the country. After obviously consulting the president, he has called on the military to assist the police to restore order in the capital, thro...

 ZoodLabs, a comprehensive technology and smart utility infrastructure company contracted by the government of Sierra Leone for internet connectivity  has confirmed a major outage in internet services in Sierra Leone on Wednesday, August 10, 2022. Sierraloaded had earlier reported that the Government of Sierra Leone shut down internet services in the country on Wednesday amidst protests in the east end of Freetown and in several towns across the north of Sierra Leone with police and protesters in running battles. Similarly, NetBlocks, a watchdog organization that monitors cybersecurity and the governance of the Internet confirmed a nationwide disruption to internet service on multiple providers across Sierra Leone from the morning of Wednesday. According to NetBlocks metrics, Real-time network data show the near-total internet blackout coming into effect on mobile and fixed-line internet providers in a pattern consistent with an intentional disruption to service, corroborating...

  Lead Defense Counsel Madieu Sesay Esq. representing Alhaji Amadu Bah Aka LAJ Yesterday Tuesday 9th August,2022 intimated the Bench that he would file no case submission of the alleged robbery case against his client. Lawyer Sesay made the submission after the prosection left its final witness to close the case . The Accused LAJ was under Preliminary investigation for the offences of robbery with Violence and assualt contrary to law. According to the particulars of the offence on , Sunday 12th June 2022 at Leonco Filling station Congo Cross in Freetown, the accused violently robbed the total sum of NLe4,200(Four Thousand Two hundred New Leones) and assaulted Musa Mansaray, a pump attendant in a manner thereby occassioning actual bodily harm. Led in defence by the state Counsel Yusif I.Sesay Fifth Prosection Witness (PW5) Detective Constable Alimamy Morlai Turay, who was marked b as the final witness, said he was attached to the Congo Cross Police Division as an Exhibit Clark when ...

  On Monday 8th August 2022, the Capital City of Freetown and other major towns in Sierra Leone witnessed a sit-down strike that led to Closure of major shops and ghostly business places, which was championed by unknown Sierra Leoneans. According to rumors, the sit-down strike is a protest over the hike prices of commodities and goods , human rights abuses , corruption, unfulfilled promises of the ruling SLPP government led by his Excellency President Julius Maada Bio , According to rumor mongers, the sit-down strike will climax with a street demonstration on Wednesday 10th August 2022. In an exclusive interview with the Head of Media and Public Relations of the Sierra Leone Police ( Media One), Mr . Brima Kamara said that there’s no need to Panic, adding that the Sierra Leone Police is in full control of the situation. Mr Brima Kamara further told the this medium that there has been no report of violence or chaos . Mr. Kamara Called on Sierra Leoneans to be attentive to them and n...

  Amidst Violent protests that took place in various parts of the country Today Wednesday 10 August 2022 as angry protesters took to the street in what is described as a faceless demonstration. President Dr. Julius Madda Bio has taken to social media to react to the current situation. As he is currently on vacation in London, president Bio has taken to social media to express dissatisfaction over today’s event, he describe what happened today as unfortunate and stated that today’s incident will be fully investigated. “As a government, we have the responsibility to protect every citizen of Sierra Leone. What happened today was unfortunate and will be fully investigated. I urge all Sierra Leoneans to be calm” President Bio wrote.

 2023 Presidential Aspirant, Dr Samura Kamara has reacted to incidences of protests and violence in various parts of Sierra Leone. Dr Kamara posted on his Twitter page “I am deeply troubled by the incidences of violence in parts of the country today. The right to protest comes with a responsibility to be law a abiding . Government must do all it can to de-escalate tensions. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those that we have lost today.”   The protests started with a sit-down strike that led to closure of major shops and later degenerated into blood-bath between police and protesters. Many Protesters and police officers have been reportedly killed in various clashes between them in various parts of the country.

  The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has issued directives for essential workers in the country following the declaration of a nationwide curfew by Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh after today’s violent demonstrations. Earlier today, the Vice President announced on national television the starting of a nationwide curfew, in order to curb the rising protest in the country. In response to the curfew declaration, SLP issued a public noticei signed by the Inspector General of Police, William Fayia Sellu, stating that: “Following the declaration of a nationwide curfew by His Excellency the Hon. Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) wishes to inform the general public as follows: 1. That the curfew shall be in force from 3pm on the 10th August, 2022, to 7am of 11th August 2022. 2. That all essential workers at the following places: hospitals, hotels, radio stations, television stations, telecommunications, companies, Electricity Generation and Tran...

  Members of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) have taken to the streets of Freetown to restore law and order after today’s protest turned into bloody violence in some part of the capital. In a video shared on social media, the Military officers are seen matching in the capital trying to calm down the situation. They were however warmly received and praised by the protesters. On Tuesday, the Government of Sierra Leone directed the Military to assist the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) under the backing of Military Aid to Civil Power (MACP) Policy in the Emergency Category.

 According to reports from Kamakwie the headquarter town of Karena District, the Police Station has been burnt down and the few inmates in the cell all escaped. This is part of ongoing demonstrations in Freetown and the Northern part of the country today by citizens against the ruling government. The protesters say they are demonstrating against the high cost of living, police brutality, corruption and general injustice perpetuated by the government. In various parts of the country, there are report of gun shots fired and heavily armed police and military personnel in the street. Videos shared on social media showed protesters burning down a police station in Karene District and prisoners locked in all escaped. ‘Unconfirmed reports say there have been deaths. It’s not clear how many. The head of the police in the north, Gabriel Tommy says they’ve imposed an indefinite curfew in Makeni and Magburaka with the possibility of extending it to Kamakwei. Situation being monitored. 

  The Easter part of Freetown has been considered one of the danger zones in this August 10th protest. Streets along Black Hall Road community to Wellington are tense like never before with heavy gun shots heard in the community. Notwithstanding all the notices and press releases stopping this protest, Black Hall Road community youths have gone banana as they marched the streets protesting over the dissatisfaction on this New Direction government. When the protest started, youths were moving the streets peacefully untill they were stopped by the police. Forming groups with other streets among the closest communities around ferry junction, PWD and Black Hall Road, Rokupa, Wellington etc the event came to the point of things getting worse as gun shots were heard in the communities. These shot of live bullets in the community have created panic in the minds of the old who have had experience of the past war. To many old Sierra Leoneans, the situation is like the 1991 incident that lef...

  The government of Sierra Leone has today, Wednesday 10 August 2022 announced a nationwide curfew, starting at 3:00 PM until further notice in order to curb the rising protest in the country. The curfew announcement was made by the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on state broadcaster, SLBC, after internet in the country was shut down for over two hours. According to Vice President Jalloh, the curfew was announced to maintain law and order and protect the lives and property of citizens. “The security sector has been authorised to fully enforced this detectives,” he noted. There have been reports of protests in the east end of Freetown and in several towns across the north of Sierra Leone with police and protesters in running battles. “Unconfirmed reports say there have been deaths. It’s not clear how many. The head of the police in the north, Gabriel Tommy says they’ve imposed an indefinite curfew in Makeni and Magburaka with the possibility of extending it to...