Torchlight Communications

Left Behind In Freetown Talking ‘Norshi-norshi’, While others Are In America…

Shame, Shame On Maada Bio

- He Tells Why He Has Been Banned From Going To The USA
- Can’t be Allowed TO Ride On People’s Backs To Get A Visa


The defeated 2012 presidential candidate of the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) was left crestfallen when once again he could not secure a much-needed visa to travel to the United States of America, a country that hosts hundreds of thousands of Sierra Leoneans.
Bio was in Freetown trying to rationalize why the US embassy could not grant him a visa to go to the world’s leading democracy. In a radio interview, Bio said he had not committed a major crime like wife-beating but that it could be related to his asylum claims which he abandoned to come to Sierra Leone after the AFRC interregnum.
However, seasoned political pundits don’t buy that story as it is clear that major democracies had put a blanket black-list on all those who played a major role in the NPRC era. “This was why Valentine Strasser was deported from the UK and also Komba Kambo was removed from the US. Bio’s name is on a list that makes him a never-return former resident of the US,” a reliable source stated.
Many citizens were outraged that Bio, an alleged extra-judicial murderer, could try to compare himself with Nelson Mandela and Indian Prime Minister Mohdi. “This is totally out of context. He is a pariah that is being treated as such due to his participation in extra-judicial killings; so he cannot put himself in the same class as freedom fighters or leaders with pro-people agendas who were misinterpreted in the course of their causes. And what is more heartrending is Bio’s desire to use the people of this country to get a visa to America. In simple and clear terms, he’s trying to say that he can only go to America if he is elected as president of Sierra Leone. And that means, in a nutshell, he will never go to America, because the people of this country will never elect him as president. So it’s the case of the proverbial dog dying with its dream. This is a big shame on Maada Bio who has consistently applied for a visa and has continually been rejected.”
Key SLPP apparatchiks, including Andrew Keilli of ‘Ponder My Thoughts’ fame (another SLPP presidential aspirant) are currently in America. And Bio’s propaganda machinery had earlier insinuated in press reports that he had been able to finally secure a visa, only for it to again turn out to be a ruse. No Visa. No entry to the US of A.
Shame, shame on Maada Bio.

After Chopping His Money And Failed In Supreme Court, They Lure Him To ECOWAS...

Lawyers Chasing Sam Sumana’s Las-n-las Change

Those who lured Sam Sumana into a dangerous path that led him to carelessly lose his position as Vice President of Sierra Leone and got much of his money chopped for nothing are not finished with him yet. They say there’s small change left with him, and they have to finish it before they are satisfied.
So despite having been fooled to pursue the matter at the Supreme Court and in the process fell out with his original lawyer, Blyden Jenkins Johnston (now late), who even had to scold Sumana for not paying him in full, the self-exiled Ghana-based former Vice President has again been tricked and trapped by his legal and media handlers to spend the small money left with him in pursuit of a lost cause at the ECOWAS Court. That, to many people, is a futile endeavour, which eventually would leave Sumana broke and deserted. Below is an article written by Cocorioko newspaper online on September 3 2015 just before the Supreme Court delivered its landmark verdict:
THE LIMITS OF THE ECOWAS COURT OF JUSTICE
The ECOWAS Court of Justice was not set up to overturn verdicts of the Supreme Courts of member nations, nor to dictate to heads of state of member nations how to govern their countries. There is therefore no precedent in ECOWAS law where the verdict of a Supreme Court of a member nation has ever been overturned or set aside by the ECOWAS Court.
Those making a big meal out of the threat by Mr. Charles Margai (photo), the counsel for the former Vice-President Sam Sumana , that he will take the case to the ECOWAS Court, if the Sierra Leone Supreme Court rules against his client, should bear this in mind . The Supreme Court of any country is the highest court in the land and the final arbiter of justice. Once the justices of the Supreme Court have rendered a verdict, that is it. No local or international court can overturn it . The verdict is final. Were it possible for another court from elsewhere to override the Supreme Court of a nation, there would be no need for continuance of the principle of the sovereignty of states in international law and diplomacy.
It was the then Minister of Justice of Liberia, Counselor Christiana Tarr , who explained to her country’s journalists and civil society activists on September 5, 2013 , in the matter between journalist Rodney Sieh and the then Minister of Agriculture , Hon. Chris Toe, that the ECOWAS Court of Justice has limited jurisdiction over the decision of the Supreme Court. This precedent applies to all other member states of ECOWAS. The ECCJ cannot override the verdict of the Supreme Court of any member state.
Under the revised Protocols 9 and 10 of the ECCJ’s charter, the mandate handed to the court to give advisory opinions or settle disputes does not extend to Supreme Court rulings and verdicts or complex constitutional matters , dealing for instance, with the exercise of the executive power of the head of state of a sovereign country.
In sum, what this means is that if the Supreme Court rules in favour of President Ernest Koroma, the ECOWAS Court has no jurisdiction or mandate to overturn the verdict. Nor can the Ecowas Court dictate that former VP Sam Sumana be reinstated.
Lawyers, like journalists , are thrust with the responsibility not only to serve their clients but to educate the public. It is an act of deceit by any lawyer to raise the hopes of the public on the outcome of a legal matter when that lawyer knows fully well that the expected outcome is contrary to what the public expects. Mr. Margai , for the sake of clarification and to help bring the tension down in the country , owed the unlearned public the duty to educate them about what he hoped to achieve by taking the Sam Sumana case to the ECOWAS Court after the Supreme Court would have rendered its verdict. This may not have been necessary in normal circumstances, but according to some media reports Charles Margai had unduly raised the hopes of his client and his supporters that he was confident that given the evidence and arguments before the court, Sam Sumana will win the case. However, according to the media, if the Supreme Court rules against his client, he will pursue the matter next in the ECOWAS Court. Charles should have made it clear , as was done by the Liberian Justice Minister, that the ECOWAS Court has limited jurisdiction over the decision of the Supreme Court. What he said however seemed to create the belief that victory would then come from the ECOWAS Court.
Who knows? False assurances from advisers who did not mean well could have helped to harden the heart of the former VP and encouraged him to go down the wire in the many missteps that cost him his job, instead of humbling himself and seeking the option of peace and reconciliation.
If his own lawyer has failed to let him know, let it be made clear by this newspaper to the former Vice-President that his only hope of victory is a verdict in his favour by the Supreme Court . If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the President, there is nothing that anybody else or any court would do to change the verdict. He must not allow Charles Margai to give him false hopes. The decision of the Supreme Court is always final. Let Charles Margai stop giving him unrealistic post-verdict expectations and hopes. The ECOWAS Court of Justice has no authority to overturn a Supreme Court verdict.
If at all, all the ECOWAS Court would do is give an advisory opinion, which will not be binding .

THE EYE

WITH JOHN SHEKA PORPAY TARAWALIE

Riot At FBC?

Just days after the EYE sent out a message of caution to students of Fourah Bay College not to engage themselves in any form of violence ahead of the coming Students Union elections, slated for Friday 21st October 2016, the EYE was reliably tipped, Wednesday evening, 19th October 2016 that some aggrieved students, whose presidential aspirants in the Fourah Bay College Students Union elections were disqualified by the university authority, Tuesday, 18th October, 2016 allegedly went on the rampage. It resulted to the deflation of the tyres of one of the vehicles belonging to the CTN/Radio Mount Aureol.
The disgruntled students reportedly threatened to vandalise Radio Mount Aureol/CTN studios at the Mass Communication Department at Fourah Bay College, on allegations that the Radio Mount Aureol has been used in the university to promulgate manifestoes of student aspirants. The EYE was reliably informed that the CTN studios were shut down during the period of the riot for safety purpose.
Reports reaching the EYE have it that Rev. Canon, the Warden of Student at Fourah Bay College was unable to calm the disgruntled and aggrieved students. The reported added that the main road leading to Fourah Bay College was barricaded by the students, Wednesday evening and it left residents in the immediate environs to flee, as others were optioned to use different routes to their homes.
From what the EYE sees so far, it’s likely that the elections may not have to be held as slated for Friday, 21st October 2016, meaning; like it has been in the past years, the students of Fourah Bay College might continue to go without a Student Government as they may have to wait again for a year or a few years or several more years. Which of which; the EYE is yet to know from the decision taken by the university authority.
Continue to read the ‘EYE column’ for more update on the electioneering process at Fourah Bay College.

A Dramatic Drivers Union President

As the EYE hawks tirelessly around to obtain facts on unassuming happenings across the country, it got a wind of the cries of commercial drivers against their president, Alpha Bah.
A good number of commercial drivers have expressed disappointment on Bah, whose statements on local media they describe as unfortunate and decisive. The drivers add that Bah’s statements are far against their interest and welfare. They describe him as a boot-leaker who makes statements to appease the authorities especially the police hierarchy. “For Bah to emit in the local media and in front of the Inspector General of Police that the relationship between the police and commercial drivers has been cordial; is totally crass, orchestrated and fabricated. Bah must stop or keep quiet, if he is not ready to champion the suffering course of commercial drivers”, some aggrieved commercial drivers strongly warned. In their views, their relationship with the police is still nothing good to write home about as they claim to be excessively extorted by the traffic police officers.

Agibu Jalloh: “A Lullaby For SLPP & ADP”

By Alie Mozart Sesay

The ruling All People’s Congress Party hardly looses elections countrywide. Specifically in the Western Urban and Rural, it continues to maintain victory, the Outreach Coordinator has challenged, followed by a thrash of opposition parties in the recently concluded by-elections in Kamakwie, northeast of the country and Waterloo, the outskirts of the capital of Freetown.
Many see the defeat as a political warning shot whilst the Outreach Coordinator sees it as a soothing song (lullaby) meant to send cacophonic opposition parties fast asleep. Agibu Tejan Jalloh insists: “The two victories in the by-elections have not come as a surprise but through hard work showcased by his party”. Mr. Jalloh believes the Sierra Leonean populace can reliably discern between the good and bad and can no longer allowed to be carried away by sentiment, hate speeches/statements, false rumour and incitement as usually done by some myopic politicians to score rash political gains and cheap popularity. Confidently the Outreach Coordinator added: “As we maintain the Sierra Leone People’s Party in permanent opposition, the ruling APC Party will continue to win more and more elections and in free, fair, nonviolent and credible manner inasmuch sects of the electorates have been able to quickly realise by picking up some fake politicians whose political mission is aimed at lying, deceiving and betraying the confidence of the unsuspecting populace”.
Political scientists say the ruling party so far maintains a good start in the ballot, having won several fairly conducted by-elections, countrywide, since its second victory in the 2012 national polls. As well; making endless headway in the heartland of acclaimed political strongholds of the main opposition SLPP-the east and south of the country has been positive and encouraging signs for swift victory ahead of the grand elections in 2018. “Plus some of its visible development realities showcased across the country by the Ernest Bai Koroma led government, the ruling APC party stands a better chance to win more elections based on its grassroots ideology and campaign strategies. Besides, the main opposition party in particular; has been in rancour, engaged in leadership fights and conflicts of interests and far from being potent, prudent and responsive to national issues for fair representation of the electorates; as should be”, a renowned social commentator quipped.
Firebrand journalist, Dr. David Tam Mbayoh said despite the hullabaloos and outcry over a challenging economy plus austerity measures put in place, the ‘Red Guys’ are winning elections-which means: “The Red Guys are good. They can reliably take on their political counterparts. As well, it’s another show of the electorates’ love for the ruling party despite political propaganda”, Dr. David Tam Mbayoh enunciated as he tried to edify and put through; a member of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, Honourable Dixon Rogers who was busy making what others saw as mischievous claims and allegations on the Ernest Bai Koroma led government.