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01/27/2025

🅽🅴🆆🆂 🆂🆃🅾️🆁🆈

𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝

𝑩𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏 𝑮𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝑲𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂
TV-News24* January 27, 2025 at 10:59 AM [ET]

WATERLOO, Sierra Leone (TV-News24) —
A 33-year-old broadcast journalist who was reportedly brutally killed by thugs allegedly hired by the manager of a radio station he once worked for, has been buried Friday.

Samuel Brima Mattia, who was head of programs at Voice of Peace and Development (VOPAD) Radio 96.5FM, before his untimely death, was buried at the Joe Town Cemetery in Waterloo, east of the capital Freetown

Hours after Mattia was reportedly found dead within the vicinity of the radio station on Jan. 16, local police arrested several people — including Station Manager Joseph Lamin — in connection with the journalist’s death.

Monitored online reports suggested that Mattia’s dead body was found with signs indicating he’d been brutally beaten.

And Ministry of Information and Civic Education Minister Chernor Bah Tuesday, at a press briefing to journalists, implicitly confirmed those reports.

Bah said police told him the men reportedly hired to kill the journalist stalked him at the radio station, tied him up, and then beat him to death.

And at the same time, and citing police, the information minister revealed that Lamin had confessed to masterminding the killing of Mattia.

At a well-attended funeral ceremony held at Christ The King Catholic Church here in Waterloo, west of the country, many dignitaries were in attendance.

Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) President Ahmed Nasralla described Mattia’s killing as unfortunate, adding the journalist was a young promising individual within the profession of journalism.

Nasralla noted that the killing of Mattia has opened the eyes of the journalists’ association to be looking out and ensuring they intervened to ensure peace among journalists.

“If SLAJ had known earlier that there was fighting between the deceased and the accused, we would have intervened and ensure that there was peace. But we didn't know, and nobody complained to us of any such happening between them,” the SLAJ president tells TV-News24.

Going further, Nasralla urged the Judiciary of Sierra Leone to ensure justice is served in the killing of the journalist, especially that Lamin, the radio station manager, has reportedly confessed to the crime.

TV-News24 is yet to independently confirm that Lamin has any involvement in Mattia’s killing.

Chairman of Western Area Rural District Council Kasho Joseph Holland Cole, former SLAJ President UMARU Fofanah, journalists, were among those who attended the funeral ceremony.

Prior to the burial, Mattia’s co**se made several stops en route to the cemetery.

From the radio station, to his family house, to the church, and lastly to the cemetery.

On arrival at VOPAD radio station to pay his last respect — in an ambulance —where no staff member was present as the doors to the station were locked, a two-minute prayer session was held over Mattia’s coffin.

The funeral procession then made a final stop at Mattia’s home, passing through the community he once lived with his family: causing an eruption of mournful cries and expressions of grief from the public.

Minutes later, the procession continued to the church before departing for the slain journalist’s final resting place — the burial ground.

Just halfway to the cemetery, from the church, the youth stopped the ambulance and demanded that they carry the coffin themselves to the cemetery.

A request that was honored as Mattia’s coffin was offloaded from the ambulance.

The dead journalist’s family — including his wife — who’d been with the coffin since the start of the procession — however, remained inside the ambulance, as the youth carried the deceased’s coffin to the cemetery.

At the gravesite, the coffin — with the dead body of the journalist inside, draped in the green, white and blue colors of Sierra Leone’s national flag — was lowered into a six feet deep rectangular hole dug in the ground.

And buried.

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01/24/2025

🅽🅴🆆🆂 🅰🅻🅴🆁🆃

𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲

𝑩𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏 𝑮𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝑲𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂
TV-News24* January 24, 2025 at 6:50 AM [ET]

WATERLOO, Sierra Leone ( TV-News24) —
The body of a journalist brutally killed last week west of the country has arrived, and draped in the green, white and blue flag, at the radio station where he once worked to pay his last respect.

Samuel Brima Mattia was head of programs at Voice of Peace and Development (VOPAD) Radio 96.5FM before his untimely death.

The 33-year-old Mattia was reportedly found dead last week around the area of the radio station.

And Station Manager Joseph Lamin, according to police, has confessed to masterminding the killing of the journalist.

This Story Will Update…

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01/24/2025

🅽🅴🆆🆂 🆂🆃🅾️🆁🆈

𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐨 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞

⚫ ℂ𝕠𝕞𝕞𝕚𝕥𝕤 𝕄𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕠 ℍ𝕚𝕘𝕙 ℂ𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕥

𝑩𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏 𝑮𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝑲𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂
TV-News24* January 23, 2025 at 9:40 PM [ET]

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (TV-News24) —Magistrate Judge Santigie Bangura Wednesday denied the defense counsel’s motion to dismiss the state’s ongoing criminal case against Canadian dual citizen Hawa Hunt, during the second and final day of proceedings of a procedural preliminary investigation to determine if there was enough evidence to warrant a trial.

Hunt, 42, is charged with two criminal offenses under Sierra Leone’s cybercrimes law for insults and derogatory language she supposedly used against First Lady Fatima Maada Bio and President Julius Maada Bio, respectively, last year, according to the charging document.

Rashid Dumbuya, Esq., representing Hunt, Monday, filed a no case submission with the Court — serving the State’s Counsel — and challenging the lower court’s jurisdiction, while similarly raising other legal issues.

But Bangura ruled against Hunt, asserting that there exists prima facie evidence for the matter to be fully prosecuted at the High Court.

Almost simultaneously, the Court inquired directly from Hunt if she’s going to maintain on the record her earlier statements to police prior to her being charged.

“Now that the matter is committed to the High Court, do you wish to rely on your previous statement to the police or are you going to make a fresh statement?”Magistrate Judge Bangura of the Judiciary of Sierra Leone, inquired.

Hunt responded that she’ll be making a new statement — and won’t be relying on the previous one to police.

"Yes, I am going to make a fresh statement," Hunt replied.

But most significantly, Hunt, the Canadian-based singer-songwriter, for the first time, informed the Court that she’ll be presenting a witness(es) at the High Court level to testify on her behalf.

Explaining the thinking behind the Court’s denial of Hunt’s motion to dismiss the case, Bangura reiterated the publicly known fact that Hunt was in Court on two count charges — which entail sending insulting messages via a computer system.

Allegations that stemmed from a Facebook post the state alleges she created between April 1 and April 30, 2024.

The magistrate judge then explained that the state presented two witnesses — the arresting officer and a cyber crime analyst — to prove its case.

After which, Bangura said, the state closed its case.

𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℕ𝕆 ℂ𝔸𝕊𝔼 𝕊𝕌𝔹𝕄𝕀𝕊𝕊𝕀𝕆ℕ

Then, the magistrate judge said, at the close of the prosecution’s case, the defense team filed a no-case submission on behalf of the defendant, Hunt.

According to Bangura, in the no-case submission, the defense submitted that the charges being filed against Hunt and on the indictment, were wrong — that’s in relation to the country’s Cybersecurity and Crime Act.

But the Court disagreed with the defense lawyer’s argument, concluding that the charges against Hunt were in fact correct.

Additionally, the magistrate judge said the defense also challenged the jurisdiction of the lower court — the Magistrate Court.

To the extent, according to the magistrate judge, the defense argued that the magistrate court doesn’t have jurisdiction to hear the case

And because of that, the matter should’ve been sent directly to the High Court.

Again, as in the ruling on the defense lawyer’s challenge to the charges, the magistrate judge found that a preliminary investigation is one of four ways by which a matter can be committed to the High Court.

Thus, indicating that the lower court had jurisdiction.

𝕃𝔸ℂ𝕂 𝕆𝔽 ℂ𝕆𝕄ℙ𝕃𝔸𝕀ℕ𝔸ℕ𝕋𝕊

On the issue of the indictment lacking a complaint, Bangura, the magistrate judge, said the defense argued in its motion that because the charge sheet had no complaint mentioned in it, the case should be thrown out.

But Bangura ruled that a complainant wasn’t needed for the case to be tried.

The magistrate judge then cited a legal precedent where late Presidents Siaka Stevens and Ahmed Tejan Kabba, at different times, had matters in the Court — and did not actually appear in Court for the proceedings.

But yet still, the two late presidents were able to secure a conviction in their respective cases.

𝕋ℍ𝔼 ℂ𝕆𝕌ℝ𝕋'𝕊 ℝ𝕌𝕃𝕀ℕ𝔾 𝕆ℕ ℕ𝕆 ℂ𝔸𝕊𝔼 𝕊𝕌𝔹𝕄𝕀𝕊𝕊𝕀𝕆ℕ

Summing up, the magistrate judge ultimately rejected each of the defense’s arguments in its no case submission filing.

And in essence, denying the arguments that the criminal case against Hunt should be dismissed.

“The prosecution established a prima facie case against the accused person. The prosecution has proved that the accused acted recklessly by creating the video in question, and the elements of the offence charged are complete. Therefore, I hereby commit this matter to the High Court," Bangura ruled.

𝔹𝔸𝕀𝕃 𝔸ℙℙ𝕃𝕀ℂ𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ

After the Court had ruled on the defense’s no case submission filing, Dumbuya, Hunt’s lawyer, yet again — and for the fifth time — asked the magistrate judge to grant Hunt bail.

"My lord, this is the end of this proceedings before you, and it has now gone to another level. My lord, the transmission of cases in the High Court takes time, and that is why it is important for the accused to be granted a bail," Dumbuya stated.

The defense attorney argued that granting Hunt bail will help her adequately access her defence team: to prepare for trial at the High Court.

Dumbuya then reasoned with the Court that if at this point in time of the proceedings, Hunt wasn’t granted bail, it’ll indicate that she was being punished.

Arguably, meaning the reasoning for denying her bail may not have been on a legal basis.

But State’s Attorney Yusuf Isaac Sesay argued against bail being granted to Hunt.

“My lord, the state is vehemently objecting to bail,” Sesay said.

Sesay said the state doesn’t celebrate seeing people being sent to jail.

Although, he said, the state feels satisfied in this instance, because justice was being served.

Sesay also noted that with the Court’s ruling on Wednesday — that Hunt had a case to answer — there’s now been an increase likelihood of Hunt being a flight risk; claiming pointedly that Hunt would run away.

But Hunt’s lawyer wasn’t too pleased with that assertion by the state’s prosecutor, prompting the Court to intervene.

This Story Will Update…

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01/23/2025

🅽🅴🆆🆂 🆂🆃🅾️🆁🆈

𝐑𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐨 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

𝑩𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏 𝑮𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝑲𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂

TV-News24* January 23, 2025 at 4:21 PM [ET]

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (TV-News24) — The head of a radio station in Waterloo area, east of the capital, has allegedly confessed to the killing of a journalist who was working at the very radio station, law enforcement, media and government reports say Tuesday.

Samuel Brima Mattia, the journalist, was reportedly brutally killed on/about Thursday, after he went missing the previous day, and only for his dead body to be found within the vicinity of VOPAD Radio 96.5FM — the radio station.

Within hours of the reported incident, local police moved swiftly and made several arrests, with Joseph Lamin, the radio station’s manager, being among, and described by social media reports as a prime suspect in the killing of the journalist.

During the government’s weekly press briefing held on Tuesdays, Ministry of Information and Civic Education Minister Chernor Bah, told reporters that VOPAD radio station manager had implicated himself in the killing of the journalist.

"Before we proceed with the press conference, I have very important news. And the news is that the station manager of VOPAD Radio in Waterloo, Joseph Lamin, the principal suspect in the brutal murder of journalist Samuel Brima Mattia, has confessed that he was the one who killed Samuel Brima Mattia," Bah said.

Citing law enforcement, Bah said Lamin confessed to police that he hired thugs to deal with the journalist because of the issues the two men had been having.

The alleged point man of the thugs, Morlai, according to Bah, was instructed to gather some ‘boys’ so that they’ll deal with Mattia.

The hired men, the information minister continued, then stalked the journalist at the radio station, tied him up, and beat him to death.

After which, Bah said at the press briefing, the thugs disposed of the journalist’s dead body.

Further, according to Bah, police told him they’ve made more arrests; and those arrested have provided information that collaborated the confession of the station manager: that he killed the journalist.

But prior to Bah’s revelation, earlier Tuesday, on an online post, Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) said they were being told that Lamin had made a confession regarding the killing of Mattia.

"The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has been informed by the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) of a significant breakthrough in their investigation into the brutal killing of journalist Samuel Brima Mattia.

“According to the SLP, the principal suspect, Joseph M. Lamin, who is the [s]tation [m]anager of VOPAD Radio 96.5FM, has confessed to orchestrating the killing by hiring people (one Morlai and others) to kill his deputy, Samuel Brima Mattia," SLAJ posted on Facebook.

TV-News24 is yet to independently confirm that Lamin has confessed to killing — or orchestrated the killing — of Mattia.

Nonetheless, police later told TV-News24 Tuesday evening that the matter has now been transferred to their investigative headquarters in the capital city.

"The murder investigation of Samuel Brima Mattia is no longer with us. It has been transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department in Freetown," police at Waterloo division told TV-News24.

Last Thursday night, hours after the reported death of Mattia, TV-News24 went to Waterloo Police where Sierra Leone Police Support Officer Asst. Supt. Thomas Robin Mansaray, confirmed they were investigating the incident.

Mansaray then said two people have been arrested — and placed in custody — with connection to the killing of the journalist.

And that the investigation was ongoing.

The following day, Friday, SLAJ, however, reported online that four people had been arrested by police, sourcing the information to Mansaray, the support officer.

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01/19/2025

🅽🅴🆆🆂 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈

𝐌𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞

***𝕋𝕣𝕚𝕒𝕝 𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝔹𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕟 𝔸𝕗𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕙***

𝑩𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏 𝑮. 𝑲𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂
*TV-News24* January 19, 2025 at 1:45 PM [ET]

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (TV-News24) — The presiding magistrate judge in the ongoing criminal trial of Canadian and Sierra Leonean dual national Hawa Hunt Friday, dramatically said in open court that he’ll be amending the trial methodology he’s been operating under since the trial started earlier this month.

Initially, and at the commencement of the matter, Magistrate Judge Santigie Bangura of The Judiciary of Sierra Leone was adjudicating the case in a summary judicial procedural methodology — meaning jurisdiction lies with him at the magistrate court level.

But at Friday’s hearing, Bangura reverses course and now says effective Monday, he’ll be adopting the Preliminary Investigation (PI) court proceeding — a judicial procedure that mandates the case be escalated to a higher court should the magistrate judge finds enough evidence exists to warrant a trial.

PI — as legally known within the judiciary in Sierra Leone — is the equivalent of probable cause or preliminary hearing in western judicial court systems like USA and Canada.

And it’s a court proceeding where a judicial officer determines whether the state has enough evidence to try a person or defendant for an alleged crime; thus vested with the authority to conclude whether a case can proceed or be dismissed.

And should that judicial officer determines that the matter can proceed for trial, their jurisdiction at the magistrate level terminates — as he must refer the matter to the High Court for a subsequent trial.

Bangura made the switch to PI proceedings no sooner than Hunt’s lawyer, Rashid Dumbuya, Esq., informed the Court that he was going to make a ‘no case submission’ filing on behalf of his client — serving copies of that paperwork to the Court and State Attorney Yusuf Isaac Sesay.

"Before you go further with your submission, I want to inform you that an amendment had been made in this trial. This matter is now going to be tried as PI, and not summary trial," Bangura, the magistrate judge, said.

In support of his legal change in decision to have the matter switched to PI from summary proceedings, Bangura cited Section 17 of the Cyber Security and Crime Act 2021.

An act under which Hunt is being charged with two counts for allegedly using a computer to insult and derogate First Lady Fatima Maada Bio and President Julius Maada Bio, respectively.

That section of the cybersecurity act, 17, pointedly gave the Sierra Leone High Court jurisdiction to try matters of this nature.

After informing the parties about the changes in proceedings, Bangura ordered the clerk to reread the charges against Hunt — ordering that a plea shouldn’t be entered by the defendant.

The magistrate judge then informed the defense team that he would recall the two police officers — who’d initially appeared as witnesses and testified for the prosecution at Wednesday’s hearing.

So, the magistrate judge said, they could be cross-examined again by the defense and in accordance with procedural rules of PI proceedings.

Dumbuya, however, waived Hunt’s right for a re-cross of those police witnesses on the basis of ensuring a speedy trial for her.

And then noted to the Court that the defence will resubmit its ‘no case submission’ filing on behalf of Hunt.

But, Dumbuya said, he’d have to amend that ‘no case submission’ filing he’d earlier submitted to the Court — as a result of the switch of the case to PI proceedings — so as to conform with PI proceeding requirements.

For that, Dumbuya requested for an extension of time until Monday to make his new filing of a ‘no case submission’ to the Court.

𝔽𝕆𝕌ℝ𝕋ℍ 𝔹𝔸𝕀𝕃 𝔸ℙℙ𝕃𝕀ℂ𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝔽𝕆ℝ ℍ𝕌ℕ𝕋

After the magistrate judge had informed the parties of his decision to now hear the case under PI proceedings, Dumbuya made yet again another oral bail application for Hunt.

“My lord, we wish to crave your kind indulgence to admit the accused to bail,” Dumbuya said in Court.

Adding, to the effect that, Hunt shouldn’t be kept in custody for a bailable offense.

Dumbuya further argued that it’s a fact Hunt holds dual nationality; but, he added, the Court has powers to ensure she doesn’t jump bail or run away: by ensuring certain criteria are followed.

For example, Dumbuya suggested that the Court could require Hunt to be reporting daily to the registrar of the Court.

Dumbuya submitted to the court that other countries, including Canada, have eyes on the case and that if the right thing isn’t done, they might have doubt over the justice system in Sierra Leone.

This was the fourth bail application made by attorneys who’d so far represented Hunt in this criminal matter.

Sesay, the state prosecutor, however, has successfully opposed all of those bail applications — including Friday’s — basing the state’s argument on the severity of the charges and the evidence so far being presented against Hunt.

"My lord, Sierra Leone, like any other country, is governed by laws. And when someone goes against those laws, the person should be tried irrespective of dual citizenship," Sesay argued to the Court.

Ruling, Bangura stated that the Court has rules of procedure; and since the trial, the court has been following those rules — not public opinion.

And that it’d have been different had Hunt’s human rights were being violated or whether the Court was not following the rules.

The magistrate judge reiterated for the fourth time since the trial began, that Hunt posed a flight risk because of her dual citizenship status.

With that, the Court denied Hunt her latest bail application.

Hunt, 42, a singer-songwriter, born in Sierra Leone, but living and working in Calgary, Canada, with her three children, arrived in Sierra Leone last year to participate in a reality television show — House Of Stars.

And it was in one of those episodes when police officers of the cybersecurity unit attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), arrested her on live TV.

And she’s been in jail since.

The case comes up again on Monday.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

01/18/2025

🅽🅴🆆🆂 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈

𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐚 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐠𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫

By Osman Hardy Jalloh Reporting from Guinea
*TV-News24* January 18, 2025 at 11:54 AM [ET]

CONAKRY, Guinea (TV-News24) — Authorities have arrested two people following the alleged discovery of seven suitcases of a substance they suspect to be co***ne inside a diplomatic vehicle belonging to the Sierra Leone Embassy here in Conakry, a statement from a senior government official said Thursday.

Government Spokesman Osman Gaoul Diallo said police are investigating the incident.

"Two Sierra Leoneans are in police custody while investigation continues. We've already informed the Sierra Leone government of the development," Diallo said on Radio Télévision De Guinée (RTG).

Diallo also revealed that aside from the seven suitcases of co***ne, about $2,000 was also found in the vehicle.

The Sierra Leone government in response, released a statement Thursday, and confirmed that their Guinean counterpart had indeed informed them of the incident.

A statement, released by the Sierra Leone Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said Guinean authorities informed them of the incident Monday.

“On 13 January, 2025[,] the [g]overnment of Guinea informed the [g]overnment of Sierra Leone that a vehicle belonging to the Embassy of Sierra Leone in Conakry was impounded by the Guinean authorities. The driver and another occupant of the vehicle are being held on suspicion of possession of substances suspected to be co***ne,” Sierra Leone authorities said in a statement.

As a result, the statement said, the government has swiftly recalled its ambassador to Guinea, Alimamy Bangura, so that he could brief authorities there, and presumably verify the facts surrounding Guinea’s authorities statement.

Furthermore, according to the statement, an investigation by the Sierra Leone government is now underway — to probe into how the incident, an obvious diplomatic embarrassment for the country, may have occurred.

And, the statement reads, if anyone is found culpable for breaking both Sierra Leone and international drug trafficking laws, that person(s) will be dealt with accordingly.

The Sierra Leone government, in the official statement, say it'll collaborate with its Guinean partners to ascertain the facts of the matter.

Guinean authorities say an insider tipped them off about the diplomatic vehicle and its contents of co***ne suitcases.

Acting on that tip, authorities say they then impounded the embassy vehicle after it entered Guinea's territory.

Thus resulting in the arrest of both the vehicle’s driver and another occupant, the Guinea government spokesman said on RTG.

Since late last year, diplomatic relations between the two countries have grown to be strained.

In Dec. 2024, Guinean authorities arrested and repatriated nearly 1,000 Sierra Leone citizens, almost all of whom were mainly living in slum areas within the capital Conakry and/or its outskirts, accusing them of trafficking and dealing in drugs.

Also, some of those arrested Sierra Leone nationals were accused of engaging in prostitution.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

01/17/2025

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

By Hassan G. Koroma

TV-News24* January 17, 2025 at 1:22 AM [ET]

WATERLOO, Sierra Leone (TV-News24) — Police in this West African state late Thursday night say they’ve arrested some people in connection with the alleged brutal killing of a journalist.

Samuel Brima Mattia, a former radio reporter and member of Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL), was allegedly killed Thursday somewhere in Waterloo city, 20 miles east of the capital Freetown, the country’s journalism governing body, Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), citing reports, said in a press release.

And Sierra Leone Police support officer at the Waterloo Police Division, Supt. of Police Thomas Robin Mansaray, has confirmed to TV-News24 that they’ve arrested two male suspects in connection with the alleged killing of the journalist.

"We are already obtaining statements from the arrested individuals. Their statements will determine our next step," Mansaray disclosed to TV-News24.

Mattia’s dead body, according to the police superintendent, was found at Kissy town, Waterloo city area, and near the very radio station — VOPAD Radio 96.5 FM — where the journalist used to work.

But Mansaray said police are still trying to ascertain the cause of death of the journalist — and that no witnesse(s) has yet to come forward.

It was also revealed by Mansaray that in fact the deceased journalist was reported missing days ago, prior to the eventual discovering of his dead body.

“The investigation is still young. We are still trying to ascertain what led to his death. And at this stage, we don't have enough information yet about the investigation,” Mansaray said.

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01/16/2025

𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞

By Hassan G. Koroma in Freetown
AL MansaraY in Washington, D.C.
TV-News24* January 16, 2025 at 6:53 PM [ET]

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (TV-News24) — A journalist has been reportedly killed under suspicious circumstances in Sierra Leone, according to a release from the country’s journalism governing body.

Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), late Thursday afternoon local time, posted on its official page that Samuel Brima Mattia had been tragically killed.

“… SLAJ expresses deep sorrow and distress regarding the tragic killing of Samuel Brima Mattia, a former reporter with VOPAD Radio 96.5 FM[,] and an active member of the Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL),” the press release said.

SLAJ stated in the online post that the killing of Mattia, citing latest reports, was brutal, and occurred Jan. 16, in a city west of the country called Waterloo — which’s about 20 miles east of the capital Freetown.

SLAJ also called for swift police investigation into the incident.

“We urge the Sierra Leone Police to undertake a comprehensive and prompt investigation into the events surrounding Samuel’s death. It is essential that the individuals responsible for this act are held accountable, and that such a horrific crime does not go unpunished,” the release, signed by National Sec. Gen. Alhaji Manika Kamara, said.

The media body also said it unreservedly “condemns any form of violence against journalists and emphasizes the necessity of protecting press freedom and the lives of those who diligently work to inform and educate the public.”

This’s a developing story and will be updated…

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01/16/2025

🅽🅴🆆🆂 🆂🆃🅾🆁🆈

𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐚 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐉𝐚𝐢𝐥

***As Government Lawyers Rest Their Case***

By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
TV-News24* January 16, 2025 at 5:43 PM [ET]

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone (TV-News24) — A magistrate judge Wednesday at a court proceeding, denied a third bail request made by defense lawyers on behalf of their Canadian dual citizen client, who’s been charged with two criminal offenses and currently sitting in a jail at a female correctional facility west of the capital city.

This was after state prosecutors had presented their case to the Court, played a Facebook live post video purportedly connected to the two criminal charges against Hawa Madiana Hunt, and offered two police officers as witnesses.

Hunt, 42, born in Sierra Leone, but living and working in Calgary, Canada, with her three children, was in Court on one count charge stemming from a Facebook live post the government alleges she made — and then insulted First Lady Fatima Maada Bio in it.

Additionally, Hunt also faces a second count charge for reportedly using derogatory language against the country’s president in the same Facebook live post.

With both counts purported by the state to have been made via a computer — with the purpose of damaging the characters of Fatima Bio and Julius Maada Bio, and inciting public disorder against the two — thus according to state prosecutors to prosecute Hunt under the country’s cybersecurity laws.

Hunt, a singer and songwriter, had flown into the country, from Canada, to take part in a reality television program called House of Stars.

𝕊𝕋𝔸𝕋𝔼’𝕊 ℂ𝔸𝕊𝔼 𝔸𝔾𝔸𝕀ℕ𝕊𝕋 ℍ𝕌ℕ𝕋

At Wednesday’s court appearance, which was the third since the state brought charges against Hunt, and inside a jam-packed courtroom of The Judiciary of Sierra Leone west of Freetown, the capital, presiding Magistrate Judge Santigie Bangura heard testimonies from the two state witnesses.

Introduced as first prosecution witness, Paul Alicious Moseray testified that on Dec. 20, 2024, his attention was drawn to a video footage making the rounds on social media: where Hunt allegedly made derogatory remarks and insulted the president and first lady, respectively.

The following day, Moseray said, he and a team of other police officers led by Det. Insp. Amos Mohamed Lansana, went to the location where the reality TV show was being hosted — and effected the arrest on Hunt.

This, the witness told the Court, was after meeting with the show’s organizers — and soliciting their support.

Moseray further testified that during when the police interrogated Hunt — after police had advised her of her right to counsel: which she purportedly disregarded and agreed to make a statement without her lawyer(s) present — she admitted to making the video.

But argued in her defense at the time of the police interrogation that she didn’t intend to hurt anyone, the state witness testified.

Second prosecution witness Det. Insp. Mohamed Jusu, attached to the Cyber Crime Unit at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), testified that on Dec. 23, 2024, he received a request from Moseray, first prosecution witness, to forensically examine and analyze a flash drive that contained the alleged abusive video that Hunt had purportedly created.

A request Jusu told the Court he honored, and then followed the necessary steps to examine the flash drive.

After these testimonies by the two police officers, State Attorney Yusuf Isaac Sesay told the Court that they’ve rested or concluded their case against Hunt.

𝔻𝔼𝔽𝔼ℕ𝕊𝔼 ℂℝ𝕆𝕊𝕊 𝔼𝕏𝔸𝕄𝕀ℕ𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝕆𝔽 𝕊𝕋𝔸𝕋𝔼 𝕎𝕀𝕋ℕ𝔼𝕊𝕊𝔼𝕊

Witness No. 1: During cross examination, Hunt’s lawyer, Rashid Justice Dumbuya, Esq., got the state prosecutor witness, Moseray, to admit that the case had no complainant.

And that he only obtained a statement from Hunt — and no other person else.

Moseray defended – and described as fair and professional — the police action to arrest and charge Hunt without a complainant or complaining party.

Witness No. 2: In cross, after playing the online video footage in Court, Jusu stated that the video was posted on Facebook by someone referred to as ‘Mama Lucky.’

However, Jusu testified, when police inspected Hunt’s phone, they found no such video on it.

Also, Jusu, the state’s second witness, said he didn’t investigate Hunt’s voice to determine if in fact her original voice was the one in the video footage introduced to the Court at the hearing.

𝔻𝔼𝔽𝔼ℕ𝕊𝔼 𝕋𝔼𝔸𝕄’𝕊 ℂ𝔸𝕊𝔼 𝔽𝕆ℝ ℍ𝕌ℕ𝕋

After Sesay of the prosecution team had informed Magistrate Judge Bangura that the state had finished or closed with their case — and the defense concluded its cross examination of the witnesses — Dumbuya hinted to the Court that the defense, on behalf of Hunt, intended to make “a no case submission” whenever the Court called on them to argue their case.

𝕋ℍ𝔼 𝔻𝔼𝔽𝔼ℕ𝕊𝔼 𝔹𝔸𝕀𝕃 𝔸ℙℙ𝕃𝕀ℂ𝔸𝕋𝕀𝕆ℕ 𝔽𝕆ℝ ℍ𝕌ℕ𝕋

After the prosecution had introduced its witnesses, and those witnesses concluded their testimonies — and the defense cross examined them, and then told the Court that they intended to present a no case submission — Dumbuya then made an oral bail application for Hunt.

The third bail application for Hunt in a two weeks period.

“My lord, the accused person remains innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law. But for now, she's merely an accused. Thus, we ask that she be granted bail,” Dumbuya submitted to the Court.

Further, the defense attorney reminded the Court that the two criminal offenses for which Hunt is standing trial for, are bailable offenses; noting also that competent people are ready to serve as sureties to guarantee the Court that Hunt will not jump bail or abscond should she be granted bail.

"Now that the state has closed its case, it is time to grant the accused bail to allow her to make her strongest case," Dumbuya argued.

But Sesay opposed the bail application, citing the strong evidence the state had adduced during their presentation of the case, and additionally the potentiality of Hunt to run away: if granted bail.

“My lord, the prosecution is in opposition to bail; on the grounds that the presumption of innocence is a ground for bail, but the nature of the offence also needs to be taken into consideration. My lord, we have just presented two witnesses and by their testimonies, the evidence against the accused is strong, sufficient and if granted bail, she would jump the bail; especially when she is a dual citizen," Sesay argued to the Court.

And the Court agreed with the government — for the magistrate judge wasn’t swayed by the defense counsel’s submission that Hunt should be granted bail.

With that, Bangura denied Hunt’s bail application — the third denial in just over 14 days.

Bangura stated that he was refusing Hunt bail because the state’s evidence produced in the submission of their case was strong.

“Like stated by the defense, I know an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court. And the crimes for which the accused is in court for are bailable offenses, but the Court can decide not to grant bail due to the seriousness of the charges and the evidence against the accused,” the magistrate judge said.

Moreover, according to Bangura, an accused person can also be remanded for their safety.

The magistrate judge also pointed to a scenario wherein an accused could be granted bail but eventually ended up in jail at the conclusion of a trial.

Conversely, Bangura said, a criminal defendant can continue to be held in custody, and still be acquitted and discharged at the end of the trial.

The magistrate judge emphasized on Hunt’s dual citizenship status — Canadian and Sierra Leonean — as one of the basis for denying her bail: because it creates a flight risk potential.

Something the defense team had earlier in the proceedings implored the Court not to consider or give weight to; for Hunt couldn’t possibly be a flight risk — in essence run away from the Court — because her passports are being kept or held by the state.

The case comes up again Friday.

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