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Legal Action
July 19
Edison Yongai, The Point, IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION
Yongai, editor of the independent newspaper The Point, was arrested by five plainclothes Criminal Investigations Department (CID) agents at the newspaper's editorial office, which the agents searched. The arrest was in connection with a story titled "Corrupt Ministers" in the July 18 issue. Yongai was taken to CID headquarters, where he was interrogated. On July 23, he was charged with seditious libel. He was released the following day after paying bail in the amount of 10 million leones (US$11,000). On Aug. 8, however, Yongai was arrested again, by order of the High Court. The Court set new terms for his case, demanding a higher bail. Yongai was unable to pay the additional bail and spent the night in Pademba Road Prison before being released on Aug. 9. Charges against Yongai were unofficially dropped before his scheduled hearing date of Oct. 10.
October 11
Sheka Parawali, Torchlight, IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION
Parawali, editor of the independent newspaper Torchlight, was sentenced to one month in prison after appearing before Parliament to answer charges of contempt of Parliament. The charges were in connection with an Oct. 8 article titled "Kabbah Bribes MPs," referring to President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah. In a letter to Kabbah, CPJ denounced Parawali's conviction without trial. Parawali was released on Nov. 11.
October 12
Hilton Fyle, 1 2 3, LEGAL ACTION
Fyle, editor of the weekly newspaper 1 2 3 and a former announcer for the BBC's Africa Service, was charged with "seditious publication." The charge was in connection with a story published in the newspaper's Oct. 7 issue that alleged that justice officials had accepted bribes to drop a fraud case against a former foreign minister and a businessman. Fyle pleaded not guilty, and was freed on bail of 10 million leones (US$10,000). In a letter to President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, CPJ condemned the use of seditious libel statutes because they silence critical reporting of the government.
November 5
Gibril Koroma, Expo Times, LEGAL ACTION
Max Jimmy, Expo Times, LEGAL ACTION
Expo Times acting editor Koroma and reporter Jimmy pleaded not guilty to charges of contempt of Parliament before the Parliament Privileges Committee. The charge was in connection with an Oct. 29 article alleging that commercial banks had been pressured by the government to loan members of Parliament 320 million leones (US$34,042,550) to buy Mercedes Benz automobiles for their personal use. The members of Parliament maintain that the loans were personal, but parliamentarians have a history of failing to pay off their own loans, allowing the government to assume responsibility for the debts. Koroma and Jimmy's case, which had been scheduled to be heard by the full Parliament on Nov. 18, was postponed indefinitely.
For more information contact africaweb@cpj.org