Cartoon On Women, Social Media and the 2018 Elections

Cartoon On Women, Social Media and the 2018 Elections

Moonwalk Management: A Move in Right Direction in The Music Industry

By Deej Real 

It has been the dream of lots of music pundits and lovers as to finding more strategic plans in developing the entire music landscape. Their dreams have become true as a newly established management system enterprise has now emerged in order to salvage elusive elements and unjust problems which have been contributing to the downfall of musicians themselves and the Sierra Leonean musical culture.

Moonwalk Management was an amazing idea initiated and developed by one Sierra Leonean who goes by his name, Ebrima Bakarr currently base in America. Moonwalk Bakarr as fondly called, is the Chief Founder and one who has been so good to the music industry from time in memorial but never boasting of that his help towards the music sector. He added that his business will be in a partnership form, disclosing Deej Real as his official partner here in Sierra Leone.

Speaking to him from USA, Moonwalk Bakarr said his vision was to ensure persistent aiding of new tap talented musicians to be able to progress their future career, adding that his new management system will be unveiling its two prominent music stars which are going to take the music game to another level.

UPDATE ON THE NEXT 4/50 JACKPOT DRAW

Mercury 4/50 Jackpot - Draw No. 276 RESULT

45-35-19-17

Next Mercury 4/50 Jackpot

Jackpot Prize     :  LE 192,300,000

Draw No             :  277

Draw Date          :11th  December, 2017 @ 5:05pm(MONDAY)

Women vow to fight against corruption

Women across Sierra Leone have vowed to join the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to fight against corruption. The women made the pledge at a one day National Women's Conference on corruption in Freetown. 

Speaking on the theme 'Women standing up against corruption', the keynote speaker, Memunatu Pratt, who is also Head of the Peace and Conflict Studies Department at Fourah Bay College, said corruption denies the rights of women and girls, adding that the scourge denies them of their fair share of state resources. She also said that the huge gender gap is a product of corruption, urging women to stand united against the bane. She also called for more women's participation into leadership positions, noting that numerous studies have shown that women are less corrupt.

The Deputy Commissioner of the ACC Shollay Davies said the event is part of a series of activities to observe the International Anti-Corruption Day, which is set aside by the United Nations to raise awareness and commit government and other stakeholders to the fight against corruption. He said women form about 51.1 percent of the population of Sierra Leone, adding that engaging them in the anti-graft campaign is very important. 

Mr. Davies said women are mostly affected by corruption, especially in accessing public services. He encouraged the women of Sierra Leone to join the Commission in exposing the corrupt.

In her opening remarks, Director Public Education and Outreach ACC, Koloneh Sankoh on behalf of the Commission welcomed the delegates and underscored, ACC recognizes the critical role women will play in the fight and urged them to stay focused in their desires to making Sierra Leone corrupt-free.

Chairperson of the programme-the Principal of the Government Secondary School for Girls, Mathora, Fatu Bintu Kamara, commended the ACC for bringing women across the country together to chart the way forward for women's contributions in the anti-corruption campaign.

A representative of the 50/50 Group Emmanuel Jah said the fight against corruption is undermined due to the under representation of women in all spheres of public life. He urged women to show nationalism by standing up against corruption and joining the ACC in educating the public about the ills of corruption and the benefits of a corrupt-free society. 

The President of Women's Forum Maude Peacock, said women are both victims and perpetrators of corruption. She said huge resources are lost through corruption, causing challenges in the provision of social amenities. She said women should therefore show commitment to the anti-corruption campaign by resisting all acts of corruption. 

The Executive Director of Legal Aid Board Fatmata Claire-Hanciles presented on the topic ‘Women, politics and corruption’. Mrs. Claire-Hanciles pointed out acts of corruption affecting the wellbeing of women and their participation into politics, encouraging the women to play an active role in the anti-corruption campaign.

Presenting on the topic ‘Corruption in the Business Sector’, the Acting Executive Director of Produce Monitoring Board Haja Isatu Kabba, highlighted some of the common acts of corruption hindering entry and growth of businesses in Sierra Leone, noting that businesses and women have a role to combat such practices. 

The programme was climaxed with the signing of a Communiqué by the Anti-Corruption Commission and the women's representatives; which calls for, among other things, women to uncover corruption wherever it exists, and to condemn those who perpetrate, facilitate or are complicit in it.

THREE YEAR JAIL TERM FOR CONVICT

The High Court of Sierra Leone Holden at Freetown presided over by Honourable Justice Miatta Samba has on Wednesday 6^th December, 2017 sentenced Mohamed Osman Sesay alias Assassin to a three year jail term. 

Mohamed Osman Sesay of No. 83 Bass Street in Freetown was found guilty on five counts charge of conspiracy to commit a corruption offence, contrary to section 128 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 and deceiving a principal contrary to section 40 (3) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008.

It could be recalled that Mohamed Osman Sesay on diverse dates in May and June 2015, conspired together with other unknown persons to deceive Dominic Austin Joseph Beary into paying the amount of One hundred thousand US Dollars (USD 100,000) purportedly as fee for an international gateway licence.

The State was represented by Jeelo Kainwo Esq., whilst the defendant was represented by Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai Esq.

The ACC reassures the general public of its continued commitment to fight corruption in Sierra Leone.

ACC SECURES CONVICTION AGAINST STAFF OF WORLD FOOD PROGRAM

The High Court of Sierra Leone Holden at Freetown, presided over by the Honorable Justice, Alusine Sesay, on 30^th November 2017 convicted Momodu Kamara on one count of misappropriation of donor property contrary to Section 37(1) of the Anti Corruption Act 2008. 

Momodu Kamara was Assistant Programme Officer of the World Food Programme (WFP), attached to the Makeni Sub-Office.

It could be recalled that the convict, sometime in September 2014, dishonestly appropriated two hundred and fifty-nine (259) bags of rice belonging to the WFP, and meant for the benefit of people in quarantined homes during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone.

The Court fined Kamara the sum of Thirty million Leones (Le 30,000,000) and to restitute the 259 bags of rice he dishonestly appropriated within two months or serve three years imprisonment.

Meanwhile, the second accused in the matter, Edith Jeneba Kargbo, a driver of the WFP Makeni Sub-Office, was acquitted and discharged by the Court on both counts of conspiracy and misappropriation of donor property.

The Commission was represented by Jeelo Kainwo Esq. and Adrian B.C. Samuels Esq. whilst the defence was represented by Boniface Sidique Kamara Esq.

The ACC wishes to reassure the general public of its continued commitment to the fight against corruption at all times.

Smile Again Salone Set to Organize a Live Band Show

By Mohamed Tarawallie

Smile Again Salone is a charitable organization that has been in existence in Sierra Leone for the past five years. The organization was formed in order to assist vulnerable people especially the children having gone through some tribulations. According to the Secretary General, Ansumana Kallon the setting up of the organization was initiated and facilitated by one UK born Mark Spratley and a Sierra Leonean who goes by the name Idrissa Mansaray, adding that they had thought it prudent to address the emerging needs of deprived Sierra Leoneans and to restore smile on their faces. He said it aim is to compliment government efforts in bringing livelihood to less privilege Sierra Leoneans.

One of the founders of Smile Again Salone, Mark Spratley said that Idrisa Mansaray and he came up with the plan to produce an unprecedented musical concept for an annual charity concert named Smile Again Salone. “It will be held at the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown on December 16^th this year. We wish this event to get an A Grade international format which will be broadcast able internationally in visual form”, Mark asserted.

Mark furthered that ideas will be features of Sierra Leone’s art and culture which includes interludes of singing, artists (All Stars and KME), comedians and more, adding that multimedia projections on various screens on the stage would be great. According to Mark, it is their greatest honor to say that a percentage of the outcome will be donated to the local communities and charity organizations and that whatever income raised from the concert will be invested back in Sierra Leone in a form of building a music studio and a theme park, which will benefit the people of Sierra Leone.  

While responding to questions posed at him in an interview with Radio Mercury’s Deej Real on the nation’s widely tuned-in program, Ansumana maintained Smile Again Salone has caught up in several projects since its formation, such projects he pointed out were the Ebola scourge and that of the mudslide incident which occurred in August this year at the Motormen Community in Regent.  

Ansumana further revealed his organization is yet to have sponsors as at now and that they are solely responsible to fund their operations whilst looking forward for any individual or parastatals to come on board and support them.

He disclosed his organization is about to undertake its first big project on December 16^th 2017 at the Siaka Stevens Stadium. 

He continued that the aim of staging the show is to use entertainment as a means of creating livelihood and to bringing smiles on the faces of people in order of them to forget about the past and hope for a better future. He maintained the musical festival and a live band show will be the first that would cater for everybody.

He affirmed that security will be tight and that there is going to be eminent sound system come that day at the Siaka Stevens Stadium thus encouraged all patriotic Sierra Leoneans to come out in huge numbers in order to support this crucial show on December 16^th, he added cost of ticket is affordable, open stand 10,000, covered stand 20,000 and presidential stand is 100,000. 

He assured Sierra Leoneans that proceeds made from the show will go back to those who are less fortunate and the vulnerable children in the country and also it will be use to erect an amusement park for children in Sierra Leone.