Sierra Leone: Editor appeals two-year prison sentence
Paul Kamara, the jailed editor of the independent newspaper "For Di People", has appealed the two-year prison sentence imposed on him by the High Court. In a 12-point statement filed with the Appeal Court in the capital, Freetown, on 22 October 2004, Kamara stated that the "judgement is against the weight of evidence" brought against him, and that the trial was handled by a judge sitting alone instead of a jury.
IFEX - News from the international freedom of expression community
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ALERT UPDATE - SIERRA LEONE
29 October 2004
Editor appeals two-year prison sentence
SOURCE: Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Accra
**Updates IFEX alerts of 11 and 7 October and 19 March 2004, 14 and 9
October 2003**
(MFWA/IFEX) - Paul Kamara, the jailed editor of the independent newspaper
"For Di People", has appealed the two-year prison sentence imposed on him by
the High Court.
In a 12-point statement filed with the Appeal Court in the capital,
Freetown, on 22 October 2004, Kamara stated that the "judgement is against
the weight of evidence" brought against him, and that the trial was handled
by a judge sitting alone instead of a jury.
Kamara also complained that throughout the trial, the judge exhibited bias
through his utterances in open court. He urged the Appeal Court to set aside
Justice Bankole Rashid's 5 October ruling, which places him behind bars for
two years.
Meanwhile, in observance of African Human Rights Day, human rights
organisations in Sierra Leone have appealed to President Ahmed Tejan
Kabbah's government to expunge from the statute books all laws that impede
free expression and criminalise speech.
The rights groups also appealed to President Kabbah to pardon Kamara in a
show of support for free expression in the country.
BACKGROUND:
On 5 October, Kamara was sentenced to two years in prison after being
convicted on two counts of seditious libel against President Kabbah. He was
immediately escorted by prison authorities to begin his prison term.
Kamara was arrested on 3 October 2003 on the orders of Attorney General and
Justice Minister Eke Halloway in connection with a front page article
published in the 3 October edition of "For Di People". The article
challenged Speaker of Parliament Justice Edmond Cowan's defence of President
Kabbah in Parliament.
Cowan had reacted to media stories that insinuated that President Kabbah was
found guilty in 1968 by a commission of inquiry headed by Justice Beoku
Betts. The Betts Commission was set up to probe alleged fraud at the Sierra
Leone Produce Marketing Board (SLPMB) while President Kabbah was serving as
permanent secretary at the Trade Ministry. The speaker argued that President
Kabbah was not an offender because commissions of inquiry do not have the
powers of a High Court.
Prior to Cowan's reaction, "For Di People" newspaper had serialised the
Betts Commission Report verbatim.
For further information, contact Jeannette Quarcoopome, Media Foundation for
West Africa, P.O. Box LG 730, Legon, Ghana, tel.: +233 21 24 24 70, fax:
+231 21 22 10 84, e-mail: [email protected], Internet:
http://www.mfwaonline.org
The information contained in this alert update is the sole responsibility of
MFWA. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit
MFWA.
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