By Wilfred Leeroy Kabs-kanu
Sunday, 17 August 2025
FLASHBACK 1964: FREETOWN CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS
Wednesday, 6 August 2025
23 MARCH 1971- A day I will never forget- Attempted Assination of Dr. SIAKA STEVENS (First Published March 2011)
Clunk Link below:
23rd MARCH 1971- The day the Force Commander, Brigadier John Bangura showed his disloyalty to then PRIME MINISTER Dr. Siaka Stevens and to Sierra Leone. I will never forget that day. I was leaving at Henry Street in Freetown with my four younger sisters. They will not let me out that morning. After the initial NIGHT of heavy shooting which turned out to be an assassination attack on Dr. Stevens's life at his residence at King Harman Road, led by Major Jawara, I left the house and together with the Late Hon. JOHN KANU at Niaimbana Street, we picked up his car and collected Mama Princess. Bucknor (of The APC Office). We drove to Brookfields towards the Dr. Stevens resident; the soldiers did not allow us. We moved towards Congo Cross and saw Lieutenant Colonel Sam King, and others in a Land Rover driving fiercely through Congo Cross Road towards Town. It was confusing! We ended up in a Hon. Minister's house at Wilkinson Road (Name withheld - He was later demoted). He was as confused as us. We left back into Town. I then went to my workplace at Standard Bank, by which time loads of soldiers were marching into town. I advised my General Manage in fear, to shut up shop and all staff ordered not to leave until we all helped each other to finish whatever job they were doing and closed the Bank. By that time soldiers were all over town, and a resumption of shooting, attacking the PM at his office up Tower Hill by Paramount Hotel - the old office of Sir Milton Margai -the first Prime Minister.
My Cousin - in - Law, the Late Lawyer Kanji Alpha Daramy, Minister of Information (formerly Minister of Development and Economic Planning - the replacement of the earlier sacked Prof Solomon A J Pratt ) was among those with the Prime Minister- but they all survived this deadly second phase. It was still very confusing as it was Sam King who introduced Brigadier John Bangura before he made his 'TAKE OVER' speech at about 3 pm. So, who was in charge? It became clearer when Sam King and other senior officers staged a counter operation and arrested John Bangura and spoke to the Nation DISSOCIATING themselves from coup attempt later that day.
I had to make my way home via Circular Road - a round trip - through the back streets, for fear of the soldiers and their guns the types of some I had never seen before. An expatriate had been shot and killed near the American Embassy.It was a RELIEF to hear the PM Siaka Stevens' voice after Sam King and Tom Caulker, and the second broadcast at about 8pm was all inspiring and assuring. The SLBS played its part that day.
I will never forget that day. Brigadier John Bangura was Executed in April 1971 for this Coup attempt - A SAD PATCH in our COUNTRY'S HISTORY.
Sir Albert Margai and the West 1967 Elections (First Published 2016)
Did Westerners Fool Sir Albert In 1966 , Or Was It Another Dumb SLPP Politicking That Boomeranged ?
Wednesday, 11 December 2024
TWO SIGNIFICANT SLPP PARTY MEMBERS RESIGN.
SLPP IN A CONFUSED STATE- DOMBOLO MIX-UP
Thanks to AWARENESS TIMES- Freetown Sierra Leone for this piece of news. [ Photo from Cokorioko
| Two
Significant Western Area Indigenes Resign from SLPP (One Country; One People
slogan under Threat) :Josephine Mac-Thompson & John Ernest Leigh say goodbye
By Dec 16, 2011, 17:16 |
|
Two Significant
Western Area Indigenes Resign from SLPP (One Country; One People slogan under
Threat)
Josephine Mac-Thompson & John Ernest Leigh say goodbye
Josephine Mac-Thompson & John Ernest Leigh say goodbye
December 15,
2011
Mr. Sulaiman
Tejan-Sie
Secretary-General
Sierra Leone
People's Party
Wallace-Johnson
Street
Freetown
Dear
Sir:
After much careful
thought and deep soul-searching over time, I have concluded that I must exit the
party that I have genuinely long labored to promote and modernize against
impossible odds.
In deciding to
resign my party membership, I have categorically rejected any and all advice and
recommendations from deeply loyal party friends I respect and who repeatedly
pleaded with me to stay put.
Clearly, while many
fine personalities continue as loyal, hard working party members nationwide and
abroad, someone with my background, experience and upbringing cannot belong to a
political party fronted by ex-junta personalities and under the sordid influence
of those I personally know as nation-wreckers, money-grubbing lying rogues,
false pretenders for money and such-like characters; not to mention the
widespread acceptance in secret and off-camera of voodoo juju-swear ceremonies
as part and parcel of the party's unofficial 'democratic' process in selecting
its leadership.
Accordingly, please
enter my resignation, effective today, from my membership of the Sierra Leone
People's Party as well as any patron or committee positions that may have been
assigned me.
Thank you for your
kind cooperation.
Sincerely,
--------------
John E.
Leigh
cc:
Mr. John O.
Benjamin, SLPP Chairman
Dr. Alieu
Massaquoi, Acting Secretary-General, SLPP New England, USA Chapter
Mr. Murtada Tunis,
Secretary-General, SLPPNA
“I wept because
that was the greatest ungratefulness I have ever heard!”- Josephine E.
Mac-Thompson (December 2011)
THE POST NPRC COUP: THE HYPOCRICY OF THE IMF, WORLD BANK EUROPEAN FUND IN PAMPARING THE YOUNG COUP MAKERS IN 1992. SO WHERE DID ALL THE MONEY GO?
FLASHBACK 2012 POST
Eventually, we begin to know where all the monies that came into the hands of the NPRC post 1992 COUP went.. The IMF, WORLD BANK, EUROPEAN FUND and such like International funding bodies were in 'post haste' in releasing large amounts of monies to the Military Government of Captain Strasser and his "PIKIN SOJAS", when they overthrew the legitimate government of President Joseph Saidu Momoh. I recall even a $50, million Special Drawing Rights (SDR) facility, which had been approved during President Siaka Stevens time in 1983 or thereabout, (when Hon Salia Jusu Sherriffe was Finance Mininter,) frozen all that time was also released to them. Equally a Deutsche Mark 70 million by the Germans, for which the City Council was connected..
The records of all those heavy amounts must now be investigated. These 'boy soldiers' of which Maada Bio became a one time second in command, and men like John Benjamin must account for these funds which were dissipate (FITYFATA) with no trace until now that we begin to see where these monies went.
There was no proper control of these high class financing, and these BORBOR SOLDIERS simply had a free hand to ROB the state with no fear or thought. Yes, they instituted Saturday cleaning of the streets, and engaged in prayer days every now and then. They spent some money in projects like building/ re-furbishing Round Abouts and painted images of some past heroes, here and there and driving up and down in big cars wasting monies on 'bleached skin" girls and showing off.. Now we begin to know and see the PAPER WORK of the slick ways these International Finance bodies developing funds where coveted and hidden in overseas accounts of these TIFF MAN DEM. So what do we do now?
Looking closely at the document below, provided by Awareness Time Proprietor, Dr Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, the details can clearly be seen of this one transaction - date of transfer, 9 December 1994; from Overseas Trust Bank Limited. This does not look like a Sierra Leone based Bank - perhaps a Hung Kong Bank. The account number at this first leg of the transaction shows 003101601; The name of the officer semms to be a Mr FRANK YIU. The Bank reference number as: 60042/60023 530 with Julius Maada Bio's name clearly visible in the document. The amount is stated as: HKD 387,000 (Three hundred and eighty seven thousand Hung Kong Dollars - converted at the rate of 7.7400HKD to US$1( now this was 1992).
On the bottom right side of the document from Overseas Trust Bank Limited marked "Remittance" (at the top right) one can see the words " APPLICANT'S SIGNATURE: followed by the words " "CHAMPION INVESTMENT LIMITED" signed by two 'AUTHORISED SIGNATURES' underneath with the telephone number (I guess Hung Kong's) as 8020163.
QUESTIONS: WHO ARE CHAMPION INVESTMENT LIMITED? How did they get involved? Were they facilitators or Transfer/transaction Agents? Where did the money come from to end up with them so that they may pass it on through the Banks. What was the FULL value/amount of the funds? How many 'dealers' were involve? What was thier commission in this deal?
The Government and ANTI CORRUPTION MUST NOW STEP IN. This is only a scratch- the krowkrow go big jes nor. (The wound will soon open wide)
Click Link
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=326409397422497&set=a.132650853465020.25192.100001603180299&type=1
Sierra Leone Opposition Threatens to Kill Journalists Before Polls: Staunch members of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) have yesterday promised that come November 17th 2012, they will be embarking on a mission to kill journalists they perceive as being against their party. The SLPP members made the threats yesterday whilst molesting two journalists from the Awareness Times who had gone to the party offices to seek clarification from Julius Maada Bio concerning monies alleged to have been stolen from the State and paid into his overseas accounts at the time he was Deputy Head of State in the NPRC military junta. (ONE OF NUMEROUS BANKING DOCUMENTS CURRENTLY IN POSSESSION OF AWARENESS TIMES IS ACCOMPANYING THIS UPDATE)
The Awareness Times had initially fruitlessly tried to contact Mr. Bio on his phone lines but having failed to get him, we got his Personal Assistant John Tucker who said his boss was “tied up” and “busy” but he would find time to speak with him.
Awareness Times then informed Tucker that we were sending two journalists and we dispatched Edward Tommy and cub reporter Mariama Bundu to speak with Mr. Bio.
It was whilst the two journalists were patiently waiting to talk to Mr. Bio that they were pounced upon by supporters of Mr. Bio who accused them of being spies listening to the SLPP secrets. They clearly knew Tommy to be a journalist and when he reminded them that he was waiting to speak with Bio and he was from Awareness Times, they went enraged and ordered Tommy and Mariama to leave the premises. They frog-marched them all the way down the three sets of stairways with one of them even bundling up Tommy’s trousers whilst shouting and threatening them.
They rudely insulted the journalists all the way to their party gates whilst openly making threats that they had certain journalists they would be killing as soon as they won the elections in November.
“We just dey wait for the bell for ring!!” a violent SLPP lady promised as she said they will deal with journalists as soon as the bell is announced that they have won the elections.
Many citizens are fearful that with the growing violence originating from the SLPP during which they do not even spare their members, the Sierra Leone Police needs to be on proper alert and with a good state of mind to avert any pogrom and massacre of citizens especially journalists. Meanwhile, most independent journalists no longer have confidence in the ability of the President of Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) to protect them from SLPP partisans as he is widely believed to be heavily compromised on the side of the SLPP. Yesterday, the SLAJ Offices were closed and when journalists phoned up Umaru Fofana the president, he said he was too busy attending to a report he was filing for the BBC to attend to SLAJ matters.
It can be recalled that the opposition has made a lot of noise over the Government’s decision to arm the Sierra Leone police after years of the police using obsolete weapons. An arms embargo on the country was lifted in late 2010 which was when the Government started a process to order the weapons to ensure the country’s internal security was well guarded.
“Only criminals and murderers and those planning to undertake very bad things will oppose a country arming its legitimate police force. If the SLPP was not full of criminals and thieves, they would not be fearful of armed policemen,” said Mohamed Bockarie Fofana, a youth activist from Karina, Bombali District. His sentiments are being widely re-echoed all over the country.
Eventually, we begin to know where all the monies that came into the hands of the NPRC post 1992 COUP went.. The IMF, WORLD BANK, EUROPEAN FUND and such like International funding bodies were in 'post haste' in releasing large amounts of monies to the Military Government of Captain Strasser and his "PIKIN SOJAS", when they overthrew the legitimate government of President Joseph Saidu Momoh. I recall even a $50, million Special Drawing Rights (SDR) facility, which had been approved during President Siaka Stevens time in 1983 or thereabout, (when Hon Salia Jusu Sherriffe was Finance Mininter,) frozen all that time was also released to them. Equally a Deutsche Mark 70 million by the Germans, for which the City Council was connected..
The records of all those heavy amounts must now be investigated. These 'boy soldiers' of which Maada Bio became a one time second in command, and men like John Benjamin must account for these funds which were dissipate (FITYFATA) with no trace until now that we begin to see where these monies went.
There was no proper control of these high class financing, and these BORBOR SOLDIERS simply had a free hand to ROB the state with no fear or thought. Yes, they instituted Saturday cleaning of the streets, and engaged in prayer days every now and then. They spent some money in projects like building/ re-furbishing Round Abouts and painted images of some past heroes, here and there and driving up and down in big cars wasting monies on 'bleached skin" girls and showing off.. Now we begin to know and see the PAPER WORK of the slick ways these International Finance bodies developing funds where coveted and hidden in overseas accounts of these TIFF MAN DEM. So what do we do now?
Looking closely at the document below, provided by Awareness Time Proprietor, Dr Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, the details can clearly be seen of this one transaction - date of transfer, 9 December 1994; from Overseas Trust Bank Limited. This does not look like a Sierra Leone based Bank - perhaps a Hung Kong Bank. The account number at this first leg of the transaction shows 003101601; The name of the officer semms to be a Mr FRANK YIU. The Bank reference number as: 60042/60023 530 with Julius Maada Bio's name clearly visible in the document. The amount is stated as: HKD 387,000 (Three hundred and eighty seven thousand Hung Kong Dollars - converted at the rate of 7.7400HKD to US$1( now this was 1992).
QUESTION? WHERE DID THE MONEY COME FROM ORIGINALLY, THAT WENT INTO THE OVERSEAS TRUST BANK? This appears to be a TRANSIT Bank not the initiating Bank.
The second LEG of the transaction, is a movement from Overseas Trust Bank Limited in Hung Kong to TSB ( Trustee Savings Bank (NOW PART OF LLOYDS BANK - and now owned by British Tax Payesrs and British Government):
The address is clearly seen as TSB Channel Island Limited, OFFSURE CENTRE, PO BOX No 597, ST. HELIER, JERSEY, JE48 XW. ACCOUNT NUMBER 503400 - NAME: JULIIUS MAADA BIO.
Note that this account number is different from the one in the Overseas Trust Bank. These accounts are created to facilitate TAX AVOIDANCE - hence OFFSURE - They are TAX HEAVENS .
It is clear from this document that the TSB Jersey holds a correspondent account for the Overseas Trust Bank with account number 3101601- The instuction rom the Hung Kong Bank, to debit their account held at TSB Jersey can be visualise at the bottom of the document with a check box "TICKED"
On the bottom right side of the document from Overseas Trust Bank Limited marked "Remittance" (at the top right) one can see the words " APPLICANT'S SIGNATURE: followed by the words " "CHAMPION INVESTMENT LIMITED" signed by two 'AUTHORISED SIGNATURES' underneath with the telephone number (I guess Hung Kong's) as 8020163.
QUESTIONS: WHO ARE CHAMPION INVESTMENT LIMITED? How did they get involved? Were they facilitators or Transfer/transaction Agents? Where did the money come from to end up with them so that they may pass it on through the Banks. What was the FULL value/amount of the funds? How many 'dealers' were involve? What was thier commission in this deal?
The Government and ANTI CORRUPTION MUST NOW STEP IN. This is only a scratch- the krowkrow go big jes nor. (The wound will soon open wide)
Click Link
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=326409397422497&set=a.132650853465020.25192.100001603180299&type=1
Sierra Leone Opposition Threatens to Kill Journalists Before Polls: Staunch members of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) have yesterday promised that come November 17th 2012, they will be embarking on a mission to kill journalists they perceive as being against their party. The SLPP members made the threats yesterday whilst molesting two journalists from the Awareness Times who had gone to the party offices to seek clarification from Julius Maada Bio concerning monies alleged to have been stolen from the State and paid into his overseas accounts at the time he was Deputy Head of State in the NPRC military junta. (ONE OF NUMEROUS BANKING DOCUMENTS CURRENTLY IN POSSESSION OF AWARENESS TIMES IS ACCOMPANYING THIS UPDATE)
The Awareness Times had initially fruitlessly tried to contact Mr. Bio on his phone lines but having failed to get him, we got his Personal Assistant John Tucker who said his boss was “tied up” and “busy” but he would find time to speak with him.
Awareness Times then informed Tucker that we were sending two journalists and we dispatched Edward Tommy and cub reporter Mariama Bundu to speak with Mr. Bio.
It was whilst the two journalists were patiently waiting to talk to Mr. Bio that they were pounced upon by supporters of Mr. Bio who accused them of being spies listening to the SLPP secrets. They clearly knew Tommy to be a journalist and when he reminded them that he was waiting to speak with Bio and he was from Awareness Times, they went enraged and ordered Tommy and Mariama to leave the premises. They frog-marched them all the way down the three sets of stairways with one of them even bundling up Tommy’s trousers whilst shouting and threatening them.
They rudely insulted the journalists all the way to their party gates whilst openly making threats that they had certain journalists they would be killing as soon as they won the elections in November.
“We just dey wait for the bell for ring!!” a violent SLPP lady promised as she said they will deal with journalists as soon as the bell is announced that they have won the elections.
Many citizens are fearful that with the growing violence originating from the SLPP during which they do not even spare their members, the Sierra Leone Police needs to be on proper alert and with a good state of mind to avert any pogrom and massacre of citizens especially journalists. Meanwhile, most independent journalists no longer have confidence in the ability of the President of Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) to protect them from SLPP partisans as he is widely believed to be heavily compromised on the side of the SLPP. Yesterday, the SLAJ Offices were closed and when journalists phoned up Umaru Fofana the president, he said he was too busy attending to a report he was filing for the BBC to attend to SLAJ matters.
It can be recalled that the opposition has made a lot of noise over the Government’s decision to arm the Sierra Leone police after years of the police using obsolete weapons. An arms embargo on the country was lifted in late 2010 which was when the Government started a process to order the weapons to ensure the country’s internal security was well guarded.
“Only criminals and murderers and those planning to undertake very bad things will oppose a country arming its legitimate police force. If the SLPP was not full of criminals and thieves, they would not be fearful of armed policemen,” said Mohamed Bockarie Fofana, a youth activist from Karina, Bombali District. His sentiments are being widely re-echoed all over the country.
Wednesday, 31 July 2024
INVESTIGATION TRIBUNAL REPORT ON AUDITOR GENERAL AND DEPUTY DEMANDED!
Coalition of Organizations Demands Release of Tribunal Report on Auditor-General Investigation.
On July 30, 2024, a coalition of organizations in Sierra Leone formally requested the full release of the tribunal report concerning the suspended Auditor-General, Mrs. Lara Taylor-Pearce, and Deputy Auditor-General, Mr. Tamba Momoh.
This request was directed to the Secretary to the President and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, invoking the Right to Access Information Act of 2013.
The coalition, which includes prominent groups such as Christian Aid Sierra Leone (CASL), Campaign for Good Governance (CGG), Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), Western Area Budget Education Advocacy Network (WABEAN), ActionAid Sierra Leone (AASL), Talking Drum Studio (TDS), and Transparency International Sierra Leone (TISL), underscores the critical need for transparency and accountability. They argue that the public’s right to access information is essential for maintaining trust in government and judicial processes.
These organizations, alongside others like Fifty Fifty Group, Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), International Legal Resource Center (ILRC), Citizens’ Barray, and the Eminent Women Peace Mediators-Sierra Leone (EWPM-SL), have called for an expedited and comprehensive response from the government.
The tribunal’s findings, presented to President Julius Maada Bio on June 12, 2024, have already been accepted by him, further intensifying public interest in the details and implications of the report. The coalition asserts that disclosing the report is crucial for upholding democratic principles and ensuring that governance processes are conducted with integrity.
The organizations are urging the Office of the President and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to comply with the Right to Access Information Act by releasing the report. This step is seen as essential for promoting transparency and reinforcing the principles of good governance.
PROFOUND INJUSTICE
https://www.thesierraleonetelegraph.com/injustice-uncovered-sierra-leones-auditor-general-silenced-by-government/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR21KotmP7_NsSkHkjglx_uKYbXu7WrTzDZBLU6reCJGsigDV624RXg2XSs_aem_I2T8iu4TMwVJxO-9aODKLA
Click Link.
https://www.facebook.com/1513141875/posts/pfbid0MdaY7LZrib8YYQGHPrroG8f88jByhJkq3ezybHvEBFKHAFhxtCVAMdks3uyMFczql/
https://www.facebook.com/1513141875/posts/pfbid0MdaY7LZrib8YYQGHPrroG8f88jByhJkq3ezybHvEBFKHAFhxtCVAMdks3uyMFczql/
Saturday, 27 April 2024
SIERRA LEONE @ 63! MANY WATERS UNDER THE BRIDGE: NOSTALGIA APRIL 27/29, 1992. THE LAST HOURS OF PRESIDENT J S MOMOH -
THE BAND THAT BLEW THE PRESIDENT!
THE LAST EVENT OF HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT MAJOR GENERAL JOSEPH SAIDU
MOMOH ON 27th APRIL 1992; INDEPENDENCE
DAY. ON 29th APRIL 1992, THE NATIONAL PROVINCIAL REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL, OVERTHROW HIS GOVERNMENT. BUT THIS IS A RATHER DIFFERENT STORY FROM ALL REPORTS OF THAT INCIDENT, ONE WITH MUSICAL CONNOTATIONS.
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