"The press, radio and television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Constitution and highlight the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people." - Sierra Leone Constitution

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Friday May 18, 2012 - Four African leaders invited to the G8 meeting on food security by President Obama - and the smoke and mirrors President of Sierra Leone is not among those African leaders believed to be serious about ensuring food security for their people. Is there a message for President Dr Dr Dr and more Dr Ernest Bai Koroma - that the international community is becoming disenchanted with his smoke and mirrors tactics?

Today Friday marks the beginning of the G8 2012 meeting of the world's most powerful economies to be hosted by US President Barack Obama at Camp David and today the G8 will be looking at food and nutrition security and how this can be achieved in Africa. To help this meeting of like-minded individuals concerned with food security on the continent, President Obama has thought it fit to invite four African leaders who could well be seen as serious people when it comes to achieving food security for their people.

This page gives a brief profile of the speakers at this important meeting. President Yayi Boni of Benin, the present African Union Chairman will be joined at the G8 food and nutrition security meeting by Ghana's President John Atta Mills, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. Under the theme - "Advancing Food and Nutrition Security at the 2012 G8 summit" this Chicago Council on Global Affairs meeting held in collaboration with the World Economic Forum will hear from, among others US President Barack Obama, the four invited Presidents, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as well as from key interest groups and actors dedicated to making Africa really food and nutrition secured.

According to the organisers of the meeting, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs it is hoped that this meeting of similar minds - "will bring together senior global leaders to discuss new G8 efforts on food security and the opportunity and benefits of private sector investment in African agriculture and food sectors. Sessions will identify ways business, civil society, and international organizations can complement and amplify G8 action on agricultural research and innovation, markets and trade, and nutrition."

US Secretary of State Clinton did not mince her words - going straight to the point as to why President Obama and his administration are putting the emphasis on food and nutrition security.

Sunday May 13, 2012 - Sierra Leonean lives become cheap and expendable. Smoke and mirrors President Ernest Bai Koroma defies the United Nations warning against the use of disproportionate force as the military wing of the APC kills at least one in Bumbuna protest against conditions meted out to workers by one of his financiers and benefactors in the ongoing rip-off in the mining sector. Press statement from State House refuses to recognise the death of Musu Conteh as President Koroma continues to protect human rights violators

Sierra Leonean woman Musu Conteh is no more - killed by members of the armed wing of the APC known as the OSD a unit that has been greatly expanded in numbers and equipped with millions of dollars of weapons recently purchased by the government. Sierra Leonean woman Musu Conteh is said to have died in a hail of bullets that were indiscriminately fired by Ernest Bai Koroma's armed protectors paid out of the sweat, tears and resources of the ordinary Sierra Leonean.

Musu Conteh, it would now appear had to die as well as others made to suffer gunshot wounds because as far as the government is concerned - all must be done to protect the property of Ernest Bai Koroma's "investors" who could well be implicated in being a part of the machinery that has seen the President in a country with a national currency called the "leone" spraying those he would want to impress and buy over in the political circus - with foreign currencies - mainly United States dollars. Where he's getting these monies from we had asked about before and will continue to ask until all is made plain - never mind the fact that the Anti Corruption Commission appears to be turning a blind eye.

Tuesday May 8, 2012 - With the right leadership any nation wracked by war and terrible suffering can rise again from the ashes to even greater heights in all fields of human endeavour - from political emancipation through sport to accounting to the people  on how the country's resources are utilised for the common good. This is the story of a country called Rwanda - a country that was failed by the United Nations, failed by the international community - a country seized by mass murderers who executed more than half a million Tutsis in just ninety days.

Sierra Leone's very own documentary film reporter and researcher is at it again - bringing the good news about Africa - telling it like it is. Exposing corruption wherever found and giving praise to deserving countries as is to be witnessed in a new documentary soon to hit the international media scene. Rwanda-17 - Healing a Nation is, according to the makers - a compelling African success story, told through the inspirational journey of its youngest rising stars: the Rwandan Under 17 football team. Born just after the 1994 genocide, they overcame enormous odds to qualify for the 2011 Under-17 World Cup in Mexico. The first Rwandans to reach this level of world-class football, these young players – more than half of them orphaned by war – show how discipline, determination and uncompromising team spirit leads to the success that can inspire a nation. Their story represents Rwanda’s breathtaking evolution and hopes for a better future, with good leadership and unity at the heart of not only sporting success but also a nation’s efforts to achieve reconciliation and prosperity.

Wednesday May 2, 2012 - Those smoking guns and war weapons - why was the contract for these weapons given to a civilian company? Who is behind the company and how much did it really cost the tax payer? Like the reckless and thieving APC of Stevens and Momoh so it is with the smoke and mirrors President Ernest Bai Koroma.

Thanks to members of some sections of the press reporting on events in Sierra Leone, the Ernest Bai Koroma government has been exposed as a lying, self-serving and ruthless entity that would do any and everything to re-introduce the APC tactics of yester years to remain in power - and not only that but to continue the massive and unprecedented looting spree as exposed by the Auditor-General's office. According to those leaked documents, the Inspector-General, the Gestapo Chief Francis Munu would want us to believe that the award of that contract to a particular company was above board, that the award was transparent and in line with regulations relating to the award of contracts. He wrote and we quote

"The Supplier, Messrs Amylam, Sierra Leone Limited, who won the contract on CIF terms, has informed me that the vessel NV AN NING JIANG, is presently at high seas under the shipping agency of OBT Shipping Limited and is expected to arrive by 19th/20th January 2012."

We beg to differ and would want a further clarification on the matter as the UN arms embargo on Sierra Leone had been lifted paving the way for the government to directly use the country's end-user certificate and authority to buy these items from the Chinese manufacturers Norinco. And who, may we ask heads or has links to this new invention called Messrs Amylam? We believe that one Khadi could well have been resuscitated to begin yet another rape of the country's finances just as he did during the Momoh era and during which he gained access to all ministries and key personnel in government to siphon off the tax payers' sweat into his accounts while giving kickbacks to his contacts in government. Kindly take a look at this report involving his operations in the acquisition of fire engines for the Fire Force.

This was just the tip of the iceberg in the massive corruption that reigned then and just to ensure that Sierra Leone is not been taken to the cleaners again using all and any surreptitious means, we would urge the Gestapo Chief Francis Munu as well as the Ministry of Finance to publish all details relating to the tender documents and what informed the government to award such a contract to Messrs Amylam, Sierra Leone Limited. We need to know under what circumstances the stated company was given such a contract and who received the kickbacks that normally are a part of such "contracts".

We are raising this issue because as far as we can see, despite the fact that the Auditor General had published reports highlighting thieving and gross financial malpractices in government, government-related organisations and others, State House, headed by Ernest Bai Koroma has not thought it fit to put in the recommended remedial action that would recover the multi billion leones and more in foreign currencies theft that is now a label of this government. A government that has failed to account to the people, a government that is of the view that the finances of Sierra Leone are easy and should be such a prey to its many thieving and dishonest operatives. The contempt so far displayed by the government for the reports of the Auditor-General hearkens to the days of the Stevens and Momoh era where the badge of good statesmanship and accountability got converted into a vile competition as to who steals the most from the coffers of government.

Allow us to give you a sampling of what was unearthed during the NPRC investigations into contracts - this is a part of what was discovered at the National Elections Commission at Tower Hill in Freetown

Saturday April 14, 2012 - Worrying, frighteningly worrying as anarchy and lawlessness given free rein in Sierra Leone. Ernest Bai Koroma and his government continue to ignore the worries and fears of a population living in a state of terror. The Fundamental Principles of State policy thrown to the dogs as rapists, arsonists, murderers and perpetrators of all things abominable given license. A retired police officer and his wife are brutally murdered and Ernest Bai Koroma and his Gestapo Chief Francis Munu fail to publicly express any concern. Where are we heading?

It was with great sadness mixed liberal portions of trepidation and raw terror when we heard that once again the lives of Sierra Leoneans have been laid to waste - this time the lives of Mr and Mrs Conteh who had been living in the United States for the past three years or so, went to the mother country to await the judgement of a court case involving land and were put to death in the most horrendous and savage of manners. Their crime? They put their trust in the laws of the land hoping that justice would be done and that with a government in place that should protect the lives and property of all those within the borders of Sierra Leone would be safe to go about any lawful activity they so wished to pursue.

But it was not to be, according to messengers of Satan. These satanic operatives, according to reports from Freetown, attacked the couple in their own home, brutally murdered them using an assortment of weapons and as they both lay bleeding to death set their house alight.

And this is all taking place in a country where apologists for an inept, violence-prone and not fit for purpose government revisit some sections of the constitution that allow the government to import weapons of war for the police quite ignoring that section of the same document which makes it the duty of the government to wit

5b... the security, peace and welfare of the people of Sierra Leone shall be the primary purpose and responsibility of Government, and to this end it shall be the duty of the Armed Forces, the Police, Public Officers and all security agents to protect and safeguard the people of Sierra Leone;....

It is to be recalled that a similar incident occurred involving one Abdul Mustapha and his female companion in the dead of night right under the noses of the security forces. The man in charge of that police investigation into those murders and arson attack was - yes the present Gestapo Chief Francis Munu and up to the time of writing the matter was never reported on - fuelling speculations that rumours that the murders had the blessings of top guns in the government and ruling party could well be implicated in those gruesome and planned murders of Abdul Mustapha and his female companion could be true.

With many incidents of selective justice doing the rounds in Sierra Leone - that government and party operatives could get away with murder - this has opened the floodgates for any and all acts of lawlessness including arson, rape and murder. The perpetrators know that under the protection of Ernest Bai Koroma and his operatives they rule the waves as they did during the time of the awful horror known as the AFRC.

In Sierra Leone where the government is made up of operatives of this awful horror of the AFRC/RUF coalition of evil it is indeed sad, frightening and very worrying to see such murders not facing the scrutiny of the law.

We would therefore urge the President and his Gestapo Chief to come out with a statement on this latest arson and murder attacks so that Sierra Leoneans would be reassured that they have a government that is in place to protect the lives and property of all within the borders of Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leoneans cannot afford to continue to live in fear. Time to do something.

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Thursday March 29, 2012 - Cat out of the bag. Internal Affairs minister reveals that the weapons imported into the country are for use against the opposition SLPP. Ernest Bai Koroma government in real fix as he and his wolf pack try to justify the importation of military hardware for the sole use of the armed wing of the APC party, the OSD police force. BBC reports lay bare the lies, more lies and damned lies that form the bedrock of the smoke and mirrors Presidency. Another plan to use violence, extreme violence and intimidation to secure a second term exposed. Desperation, desperation and more acts of desperation.

During the course of the week, in the aftermath of the exposure of the Ernest Bai Koroma government's importation of weapons of war for the OSD, the armed wing of the APC using its cover as a wing of the police, key APC operatives including the Police Chief Francis Munu have tried without any iota of success to justify the purchase of these weapons by a country still trying to recover from the ravages of a brutal ten-year war. And this week following even more pressure on the government by the international community and citizens to explain why the military hardware was brought into the country for the sole use of the police, the Minister of Internal Affairs, one Musa Tarawallie has let the cat out of the bag. That the weapons were really meant for use against the SLPP, the main opposition party.

In a BBC report from Freetown broadcast on the Focus on Africa programme on Wednesday March 28, 2012 - the head of the police, Francis Munu stated, among many of his excuses for the importation of these weapons that -

“These are meant to provide static security guards at very vulnerable points – you know – such as residences of foreign diplomats. You know with the global threat of terrorism, occasionally, we are asked to step up security at various embassies depending on how threatened they feel. “

However the Internal Affairs Minister whose duties include supervision of the police did not mince his words when he was interviewed on a local radio station in Freetown. That was when he actually made what is being interpreted as a startling confession - to wit

"Those who illegally overthrew the All Peoples Congress government in 1992 have succeeded in taking over the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party...and in life, you have to be looking at precedents - events that occurred and prepare yourself so that you are not overtaken. The government at the time was very weak so they were overthrown by junior officers. The equipment we have brought into the country for the police is to resist any eventuality. Let us go back to the 1992 coup."

Now you have it and that is why we are calling on the international community and more especially the United Nations Security Council that now that this has been brought to their attention that everything be done to ensure that the coming elections are free, fair and without any form of violence or intimidation.

We again urge the UN Security Council to approve the deployment of blue helmets in Sierra Leone as well as the imposition of a ban on the importation of further weapons into Sierra Leone - a country that is not at war, but is trying to consolidate the peace when President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah in 2002 declared that the war was over.

We do not have to wait for the deliberate murder, rape and violent attacks to intimidate peaceful citizens in the exercise of their rights.

Now is the time to save Sierra Leone.

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Thursday March 22, 2012 - UN Security Council meets on Sierra Leone - hears concern over ugly developments in Sierra Leone that could scupper the hopes of the UN, Sierra Leoneans and friends of Sierra Leone as an example of a success story of a country making a full and admirable recovery after years of a brutal and devastating war. Despite progress made in getting the country on her feet again - questions raised over the recent importation of millions of dollars worth of war weapons for the armed wing of the APC parading as a "police force", the OSD. Calls on the main opposition SLPP to rethink action over the boycott of Parliament and other crucial meetings. Shears-Moses report must be made public.

The United Nations Security Council meeting in a crucial session on Sierra Leone has heard the final report of Michael von der Schulenburg who, until he was forced out of the country by the Ernest Bai Koroma regime, was the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the country and head of all UN operations in Sierra Leone. He praised and indeed paid tribute to the people of Sierra Leone for their many admirable qualities and "for their resilience and their extraordinary ability to forgive and reconcile. Today, victims and perpetrators live side by side in communities all over the country".

Settling on the challenges facing Sierra Leoneans as they get ready for the November 17 General Elections Mr Michael von der Schulenburg expressed grave concern over the importation of weapons worth millions of dollars to equip a section of the police, the OSD noting

"...reports that the Government has imported assault weapons worth millions of dollars in January of this year to equip a recently enlarged para-military wing of its police, the Operational Services Division (OSD), are of great concern. Sierra Leone is under no arms embargo. However, given Sierra Leone's progress in establishing peace and security throughout the country and its relatively low crime rate, it is not clear why the police would need such weapons – especially as this shipment, according to a leaked Bill of Lading, appears to include heavy machine guns and even grenade launchers. I would urge the Government to fully clarify these reports and, if true, explain the intended use of these weapons.

An enlarged, heavily-armed and allegedly also ethnically imbalanced OSD risks undermining the good work that has been done by the Sierra Leonean Police in creating a modern and operationally independent police force serving the people of Sierra Leone – a people-oriented police was one of the important pillars of the successful Security Sector Reforms after the civil war. Because of the country’s painful experience, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission had suggested that Sierra Leone abandons all forms of para-military police force. Such lessons from the past should be taken seriously.

Friday March 16, 2012 - That arms importation - getting ready for extreme violence and political intimidation ahead of November polls. Ernest Bai Koroma playing out the APC tactics that got the opposition cowered in the past with many "unopposed" APC candidates gleefully announced over national radio.

We have been taking a good look at the inventory of the war weapons that have been brought in to equip the armed wing of the APC party - the ISU, SSD and now tagged the OSD. The names and acronyms might look and sound different, but it is the same outfit that should have been disbanded with those fit enough absorbed into the regular police force and the rest disarmed and re-trained in other useful and non-violent contributions to national development.

Our investigations clearly point to the fact that these weapons are meant for war and hence should be a part of the military arsenal not the police whose armed wing, the OSD is a creation of the APC of Siaka Stevens and which has always been used for the protection of that party. The military is the body that has the know-how and capability of storing and using those weapons in the event of any threat from outside the country or indeed within Sierra Leone should we refuse to learn from the lessons of history. That the police could have been the recipient of such a large consignment of military hardware instead of the military speaks volumes about the extent to which the desperate and violence-encouraging smoke and mirrors President would want to have "his second term" so he can finish off his job of completely emptying state coffers while siphoning off illegally acquired funds obtained from any number of "investors" in deals that will see these "investors" being offered exploitation rights ranging from fifty to ninety nine years!!!!

Fancy this and for which we need an explanation from the government in a country whose President then, one Ahmed Tejan Kabbah had declared some ten years ago that the devastating ten-year war was over.

Sunday March 4, 2012 - The interesting, very interesting Africa Debate held in Freetown on land grabbing by multinational companies in Africa - is it an investment opportunity that benefits the people or is it just another exploitative gimmick that ruins communities, the environment and traditional way of life? Who benefits from it all? The strange but not so surprising loud, very loud silence from the Ernest Bai Koroma (read AFRC Mk2) apologists.

Friday February 24 was a big day for the media, the government and the people of Sierra Leone - for on that day the BBC World Service was in Freetown to broadcast LIVE one of it's Africa Debate series. It was an opportunity for all those concerned about the issue of land being mortgaged to multi-national companies and how this impacts on communities and the ordinary man, woman and child. It was quite a lively and interesting debate with environmentalists and civil society groups on one hand and government agents on the other hand laying out their side of the debate on who benefits from such deals that have seen vast tracts of land in Sierra Leone practically given away to the industrial production of materials that would feed the energy needs of the West.

Into this scenario came traditional rulers, APC mouthpieces and government "parrots" and there was even one man who claimed to be the adviser to President Koroma in the matter of land acquisition and benefits for the affected communities. It was a truly defining moment as students, interest groups and others repeatedly claimed that while investment was good for Sierra Leone, the way and manner in which it was done and continues to be done was just not good enough with Deputy Agriculture minister, one Alie Badara Mansaray admitting that the whole process had flaws that needed to be looked at anew. He conceded that the whole concept being a new programme needed a review that would address the concerns of the people affected.

What emerged from that lively debate was that there was a lack of transparency and consultation with the people directly affected. One woman activist noted that in all of the arrangements, women were kept on the sidelines and were forced to accept the decisions of their men folk who never consulted them noting that women who are the backbone of subsistence farming have not been catered for and that in all the arrangements the social and cultural impact of land use involving rural communities where women play a great part had not been taken into consideration.

However it would appear that the bee in the bonnet of the government functionaries came in the form of Anuradha Mittal, Executive Director of the Oakland Institute, and she, according to one blog article continually pressed the government for concrete figures on the benefits brought to the country. "I think there's debate ...that this kind of investment will lead to food security, will create jobs," she said. "I would love to hear concrete numbers – how many jobs have been created. ...Our research shows that in Sierra Leone till January last year (just in agriculture) over 500, 000 hectares of land were leased. I would love to know what kind of revenue has been contributed to the national budget and where that money is being used." No figures were provided by the government during the debate.

Among the environmentalists taking part in that crucial debate was one Joseph Rahall of the Green Scenery organisation. Joseph Rahall has been one of the enduring activists who had always drawn the attention of various governments to the hazards of unplanned use of land. He was among the first to warn of the massive deforestation and land degradation that was taking place around Freetown that has seen forest covers depleted, catchment areas destroyed and contributing not only to land erosion problems but creating water deserts that are adversely affecting the capital Freetown and its environs. Joseph Rahall has never given up hope on the need to educate people on the hazards of treating the environment with contempt. He has taken his campaign to schools, community groups and quite recently his group Green Scenery did a write-up titled - The Socfin Land Deal Missing Out On Best Practices - Fact-finding Mission to Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District, Sierra Leone.

On the whole this debate should not be seen as an attack on the Ernest Bai Koroma government (hence the silence from his praise singers) but what should have been done, open peoples' participation before any of these deals were entered into - more so when the general feeling was that the beneficiaries from such deals are government agents, their sub-agents and the land grabbing investors. The need for consultation, transparency and consensus.

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Thursday March 1, 2012 - Dr Christiana Thorpe - please tread very warily and very carefully lest it be upon your head that you created the field for chaos, anarchy and murder in Sierra Leone. Kindly abide by the constitution and the spirit of the National Electoral Commission rules and regulations. Do not be another Samuel Kivuitu

The 2007 elections in Kenya would and should have been like any other - with the government of President Mwai Kibaki having ensured that he had key elements at the National Electoral Commission well under his thumb to ensure him victory. As it turned out, despite the tremendous gains made by the opposition, Kenyans saw incumbent Mwai Kibaki hurriedly sworn in for another term. This created the chaos, destruction and the death of more than a thousand Kenyans of all ethnic groups, ages and sexes as supporters of the opposition ran riot accusing the electoral body of stealing the elections in favour of the incumbent.

In heat of the rising tension and surprise at how incumbent Mwai Kibaki was so hastily sworn in with results yet to be ratified, the head of the electoral body of Kenya, one Samuel Kivuiti is reported to have told reporters that he did not know who really won the 2007 polls. Four years later, last year Mze Samuel Kivuiti made it clear that he never stated that he did not know who won the polls. He told a TV programme that he was asked if Mr Kibaki had won the 2007 elections fairly. He said that the description "fairly" kicked his legal training as a lawyer into gear and admitted that he did not know if Mr Kibaki had won fairly.

He went on to paint a scenario of pressures on him both from the government and the opposition but he put the blame squarely for the failure of his electoral commission on the senior officers he had as a part of his team. "I had no say in how they were chosen...even though I had suggested that all such appointments were to be made in conjunction with the opposition. The government ignored this", he told one news outlet.

Another news outlet noted

"In the run up to the 2007 elections, President Kibaki ignored calls by the Opposition -- then led by Mr Raila Odinga -- to involve them in the filling of positions in the now defunct Electoral Commission of Kenya. And for the first time since the election, Mr Kivuitu revealed that he was not in "full control" of the commission. "Commissioners were appointed in a way that I disapproved. President Kibaki should have consulted the Opposition. I was not in full control of the commission because I was working with people who were uncomfortable with me," he said. He said had he been given opportunity to give evidence in case of a court petition, he would have testified against President Kibaki -- especially on the appointments. "The appointments should have been transparent and fair. I did not enjoy the kind of control I would have preferred," he said. "Those who were appointing members to the electoral commission did not play their part well. Our credibility went down. There was no magic wand to wave."

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Thursday February 23, 2012 - Oh Ernest Bai Koroma and his minions - as we stated he was behind the Schulenberg affair and instead of coming out with the truth, has been manufacturing layers of lies until that photocopy of a document that is now doing the rounds became public...and yain, deafening silence...well and truly caught in the headlights of the truth, their greatest anathema.

And while trying to wriggle out of that we have these reminders of articles we had published relating to kidnappings, the movement of APC thugs in support of political violence and intimidation as well the politics of intolerance that saw one musician becoming a target of hate articles.

We know the APC and their tactics and we need to remind our detractors that whatever we publish has always been based on facts with documents to back whatever story we run. We do not believe and will never manufacture spurious "articles" aimed at keeping our pockets greased for we do not rely on handouts from the thieving functionaries of government and the APC party. We also know the APC and their tactics. We have seen them in action before during those dark days of Stevens and Momoh and we do know just how all good things relating to good governance were subverted to serve the APC and their leaders. Remember the days of "careless talk"? We do. The present crop of "shrill crickets" - beneficiaries of corruption - wanting to be heard even as their musical score sheets get incinerated in the ovens of truth have no idea of what their fathers did to anyone who opposed them - whether within or without the party. Remember the concept of "the unholy and evil trinity" of Stevens in the centre, flanked by Christian Kamara-Taylor and Sorie Ibrahim Koroma? We do and woe betide anyone who gets caught in the rivalry between S I Koroma and C A Kamara-Taylor. Nancy Steele, the APC activist found out to her discomfort when she placed her support base on C A Kamara-Taylor after she dared utter the condescending and "apartheid" phrase - "I will never have a Sorie be my mayor of the city of Freetown". "Sorie" was the blanket name for house helps, house "boys" who were employed for a pittance to help in household chores in many a home in Freetown. Sorie Ibrahim Koroma took this as a personal insult and ensured that Nancy Steele regretted making such a condescending and inappropriate statement.

The frenetic pace at which the Ernest Bai Koroma "wheels of justice" appear to move when it involves perceived enemies, especially members of the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party, the SLPP while operatives of the ruling APC as well as their allies caught up in such illegal acts of violence, intimidation and intolerance appear to be enjoying immunity from the courts - thanks to direct orders from State House itself is worthy of note. Again we would remind the government of the constitution, a section of which states

(4) The State shall protect and defend the liberty of the individual, enforce the rule of law and ensure the efficient functioning of Government services.
(5) The State shall take all steps to eradicate all corrupt practices and the abuse of power.

Let us again remind the government of how it has been subverting justice to suit its own agenda - contrary to the provisions of the constitution which it claims to respect and honour - "The All Peoples Congress Party affirms its belief in the supremacy and inviolability of the constitution of Sierra Leone and the sovereignty of our people. As a government we are committed to the strict observance and enforcement of it provisions." - a part of that constitution contains (4) and (5) which is referred to above.

We bring this once more to the attention of the government, Sierra Leoneans and friends of Sierra Leone as well as the guarantors of our fledgling democracy and somewhat fragile peace that these were the same types of manipulation of the constitution that led to our troubles. And this created hell on earth for Sierra Leoneans in their own God-given country and we would not want to go back to a situation where an armed rebellion was the only option left for the oppressed to bring their worries to the attention of their overlords.

We do not want to go back to those days of selective justice, political intolerance and unbridled violence against all those who spoke out against the excesses of the Siaka Stevens, Joseph Saidu Momoh APC governments as well as the awful horror known as the AFRC/RUF coalition of evil known as the beasts and who were routinely brutalised, incarcerated and in the case of the junta subjected to torture, rape, murder and other forms of extreme violence and intimidation.

It is now obvious to everyone except the blinkered that Ernest Bai Koroma is on a mission to prove that he is indeed an apologist for the human rights abusing AFRC/RUF junta. He has never publicly criticised the junta's excesses and while talking about how Sierra Leoneans fought for their rights - has never, ever mentioned the struggle of the people against the brutal junta. He has refused to acknowledge the horrors of January 6, 1999 during which junta forces murdered more than five thousand civilians as punishment for not supporting the junta while they held power from May 25, 1997 to February 1998 until they were forced out of their illegal, vicious, brutal and murderous hold on power.

Ernest Bai Koroma has never acknowledged the struggle of Sierra Leoneans against the murderers and rapists of the AFRC/RUF junta.

On Tuesday October 18, 2011 we raised this issue of selective justice because of real fears that if Ernest Bai Koroma is allowed to get his way, he would think nothing of plunging this country into another conflagration as long as he gets his second term - a venture that he is ready to move all things, do all things to achieve after a rather disastrous first term.

Again, we would remind the government that despite calls for implementation, the Shears-Moses report has not been acted on due to a large part, we suspect, that it holds key ruling party operatives responsible for the mayhem visited upon opposition party members not only at their headquarters in Freetown but in other areas of the country.

A report of the violence involving intra-APC supporters as witnessed in Kono lies gathering dust even though it was he, the President who ordered such an investigation.

Allow us to bring to your attention the worries and fears of the man who would be representing the main opposition party, the Sierra Leone People's Party, the SLPP - Rtd Brigadier Julius Maada Bio. This is his recent statement as carried on the pages of some internet outlets and we would urge all Sierra Leoneans, friends of Sierra Leone and the international to pay heed to concerns he has raised.

This is not the first time that he has thought it fit to do so. Here is one interview broadcast by the BBC Network Africa programme in which he stated that he had observed what he called " a recession in democracy" under the watch of President Koroma.

And just before we go - we leave you with this commentary by another "enemy of the state", the one and only Lans Gberie on matters he thinks needs to be addressed as the country prepares for the 2012 polls. Ah - by the way Lans did another article in the recent edition of the BBC Focus on Africa magazine. The magazine has a picture of the the smoke and mirrors exponent wearing his party colours - red - and holding a microphone. We are not told what he has been saying - oh sorry, he was talking about tackling corruption. Yes - corruption.

Friday January 13, 2012 - A glimpse into the financial mismanagement of a thieving, uncaring and anti-people set-up that passes for a government in Sierra Leone as President Ernest Bai Koroma and his cabal take the country to the cleaners

The 2010 Audit report on the "management" of Sierra Leone's finances is now in the public domain and curiously, but not surprisingly, the many internet outlets singing the praise of god ernest bai koroma have not commented on this all-important report, have not even mentioned the existence of such an analytical and crucial report.

No surprise as the internet outlets dedicated to the worship of the President as well as some newspapers in Sierra Leone are now beneficiaries of this massive thieving of the peoples' money.

This report clearly shows that despite his oft-repeated cry of "no sacred cows in the fight against corruption", President Ernest Bai Koroma does indeed keep a herd of sacred cows that includes his relations (brothers and sisters included), close associates and favoured members of his political party, the ruling All Peoples's Congress party, the APC. It has now been revealed that despite promises to correct anomalies and pay back monies stolen from government coffers, there appears to be no commitment to do so and instead there appears to be a tacit encouragement from the President that such thieving practices continue unabated. As the 2010 audit report noted -

"We found significant numbers of receipt books were not accounted for or available for examination. There were unidentified cash balances held in transit accounts and not transferred to the CRF at year end in a timely manner.....No breakdown on donor revenue was made available for audit and we encountered a lack of supporting documentation in a worrisome number of instances...Also, for 99% of bank balances we were unable to obtain direct confirmation of balances held in commercial banks...Many of our recommendations from previous years have not been implemented and this continues to be of considerable concern."

Fancy this - it is about rice and the politicised army. We warned against this as we did not want a situation where military personnel become rice traders as before under previous extremely corrupt governments.

5.2.3. Unpresented Documents - In spite of several requests, procurement documents in respect of contracts for a Housing Project and the supply of rice, totalling Le 500,000,000 and Le 5,433,280,000 respectively, were not submitted for inspection.

5.2.6. Short supply of rice - A company was contracted to supply Le 1,638,000,000 worth of rice to the Ministry. It was however noted that only Le1,040,000,000.00 worth of rice was supplied, leaving a balance of Le 598,000,000.

Official’s Response - The Director General stated in his reply that the Contractor, Harmony Trading Company, had paid directly to Ministry of Defence, the sum of Le247,865,000 and the balance Le350,135,000 worth of rice was supplied. The documents were available for audit inspection, he mentioned.

All lies, damned lies. Those documents were never presented to the Auditor General's office.

That many of the recommendations of past audit reports have not been implemented should be a source of concern to all Sierra Leoneans, friends of Sierra Leone and indeed the donor community. It shows that under this government thieving is now a part of government operations, approved and and given the blessings of the President himself. Just as Sierra Leoneans witnessed in the days of Siaka Stevens and Joseph Saidu Momoh, there's now competition between the thieves as to who reaps and rapes the most from the country's coffers.

Deception and lies, more lies and corruption at every level appear to be at the centre of the activities of a government bent on sucking the financial life-blood of the country, not caring about the lives of ordinary Sierra Leoneans and with its operatives all too willing to defend the indefensible as are to be seen in this recent report - a theme that runs all through government accounts.

"Out of a total of Le 127,985 Million presented as Cash and Bank Balance with Commercial Banks in the 2010 Public Accounts, only approximately Le 93 Million (less than 0.1%) of this total was confirmed by the Commercial Banks concerned. Although providing such external confirmation is not within the direct control of Government, the unavailability of this audit evidence constituted a significant limitation on the scope of my audit of the Public Accounts. Consequently, I was unable to ascertain whether the Cash and Bank Balance with Commercial Banks, disclosed in the 2010 Public Accounts, was free from material misstatement."

These are crimes against the people and the perpetrators must be punished including their godfather President Ernest Bai Koroma with a plea to financial institutions and law-enforcement agencies abroad to help us trace all the stolen funds that we suspect could be finding their way in all countries where the President has set up so-called "Press Attaches" safe houses.

The international community of donors made up of countries whose tax payers fund such aid to Sierra Leone must take note of this massive thieving that is going on in the country and should make it a duty to hold President Ernest bai Koroma's government to account for all the resources ploughed in to get Sierra Leone on her feet again.

We believe if half of the stolen funds unearthed in the audit of the government's accounts of 2009 and 2010 as well as those discovered in the audit of missions abroad are recovered, Sierra Leone would well be on the road to recovery and not tottering on economic collapse or having to mortgage the nation to the whims and caprices of mining and other exploitative and environment-destroying companies playing on the greed and corruption of the President and his cronies.

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