Author: gleanernewspaper

His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, has reiterated his call for immediate reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), arguing that its current structure is antiquated and fails to adequately represent the global community, particularly the African continent. This appeal was made during the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, where President Bio joined other world leaders for the event’s official opening, receiving a warm welcome from His Excellency Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Türkiye. In his opening remarks, President Erdoğan expressed gratitude to the attending leaders for their participation and reaffirmed his…

In a case that has raised eyebrows in the financial community, Guaranty Trust Bank (SL) Ltd. and several prominent individuals, including Ikubolaje Nicol, Augustus Issa Turay, and Patrick Adeyemi Eegunnike, are facing serious legal challenges in the High Court. The charges, presided over by the Honourable Justice A. R. Mansaray, include five counts: Conspiracy to Defraud, Falsification of Accounts, Forgery, Uttering Forged Documents, and Failure to Keep Records of Transactions. The latter charge is specifically directed at the bank under the recently enacted Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism and Financing the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction Act…

On April 10, 2025, the National Revenue Authority (NRA) celebrated a pivotal achievement in its Data Warehouse sustainability initiative with a blended training and farewell ceremony. The event marked the successful completion of a specialized capacity-building program spearheaded by Mr. Arfan Anif, an esteemed ICT Data Analyst from the Monitoring, Research, and Planning (MRP) Department. The training aimed to bolster the skills of the staff in critical areas such as data management, integration, and visualization. These competencies are essential for the Authority’s strategy to ensure effective post-implementation support for the NRA Data Warehouse. Participants gained hands-on experience and practical knowledge…

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay Esq., recently addressed participants at the opening session of a three-day Working Group Meeting focused on the ECOWAS Regional Trafficking in Persons Plus Strategy, held in Freetown. This significant gathering brought together regional stakeholders to concentrate on critical aspects of human trafficking, including prevention, investigation, and prosecution. Attorney General Sesay underscored the urgency of aligning Sierra Leone’s strategies with those of neighboring countries, emphasizing that human trafficking is a transnational crime that necessitates cooperative efforts across borders. “Trafficking in persons is a crime that doesn’t respect borders. It’s a regional response from…

President Julius Bio In a disturbing move that raises serious concerns about press freedom, journalists in Sierra Leone have reportedly been ordered to stop reporting on Jos Leijdekkers, a fugitive Dutch drug criminal known as ‘Bolle Jos.’ According to anonymous sources who spoke with RTL Nieuws, this directive is part of a larger effort orchestrated by the government, specifically at the request of President Julius Bio. Allegations have surfaced that journalists are being bribed to remain silent, with payments totaling thousands of dollars. Leijdekkers, who is wanted internationally, was sentenced to 24 years in prison in the Netherlands for serious…

BY-SHOBHA SHUKLA – CNS In the lead up to 2025 World Health Day, we need to review why almost half of women are not able to make decisions about their own reproductive health and bodily autonomy. All governments had promised to deliver on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, one of which is SDG indicator 5.6.1. “This indicator measures a woman’s ability to make her own decisions about her sexual and reproductive health. Initial analysis suggests that over half (56%) of the married or in-union women are now in the driver’s seat. But it also means that when…

ASTANA – To bolster bilateral relations, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu met with Timothy Musa Kabba, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, during his inaugural official visit to Astana on April 8. The discussions centered on fostering collaboration across various sectors, including trade, transport and logistics, healthcare, and agriculture.Kazakhstan, recognized as one of the world’s leading grain producers, expressed its keen interest in leveraging the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route to facilitate the export of essential goods such as grain, cereals, oilseeds, high-quality meat, and organic products to African markets. This initiative aims to…

By: Amie Massaquoi On April 3, 2025, the Advisory Board Committee of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) convened a significant meeting with His Lordship Honourable Komba Kamanda, the Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, to address pressing concerns regarding the prolonged handling of corruption-related cases within the judicial system. The meeting, held at the Chief Justice’s office in Freetown, was part of the ACC’s ongoing initiative aimed at improving the efficiency of the justice system and ensuring that corruption cases are resolved promptly in the High Court.During the meeting, the participants underscored the critical need for timely trials of ACC cases, emphasizing…

By Jeneba Conteh In a stunning case that has received widespread attention, 23-year-old Alhaji Sawaneh, a fisherman, has been sentenced to ten years in prison for sexually assaulting a four-year-old child. Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens issued the ruling during a criminal session at Freetown’s Sexual Offences Court No.7, which is located on Siaka Stevens Street. Sawaneh was charged with one count of sexual penetration, which is a violation of Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2012. This act was later repealed and replaced by Section 4(a)(ii) of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act of 2019. The court heard…

In a landmark event marking her inaugural engagement as President of the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio convened a high-level meeting with His Excellency Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission. This significant gathering took place at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and was attended by OAFLAD Vice President, Her Excellency Mrs. Ana Dias Lourenço, the First Lady of Angola.The OAFLAD delegation received a warm welcome from Chairperson Youssouf and his team, who recognized the essential contributions of OAFLAD in advocating for continental priorities. In…