(CPJ/IFEX) – On 14 July 1998, Foday Fofana and Alusine Fofanah, journalists with the “Star” newspaper, were summoned to the magistrate’s court in Freetown and appeared before Magistrate Patrick Hamilton where they were charged with publishing defamatory, libelous, and false reports likely to disturb the public. On 15 July 1998, Umaru David and David Konteh, […]
(CPJ/IFEX) – On 14 July 1998, Foday Fofana and Alusine Fofanah, journalists
with the “Star” newspaper, were summoned to the magistrate’s court in
Freetown and appeared before Magistrate Patrick Hamilton where they were
charged with publishing defamatory, libelous, and false reports likely to
disturb the public.
On 15 July 1998, Umaru David and David Konteh, journalists with the
“Champion Newspaper”, also appeared in court on the same charges.
The charges were brought against the journalists in a lawsuit filed by Frank
Kposowa, president of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), in
connection with an article published in the 22 June edition of the “Star”
newspaper. The article alleged that Kposowa was a supporter of the
Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group, and that he had received one
million leones (US$600.00) from Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC)
junta spokesman Allieu Kamara to publish articles in favor of the junta that
had overthrown President Tejan Kabbah.
No plea was taken from the journalists, but they were forced to pay bail in
the amount of two million leones each (US$1,200.00). The cases were
adjourned until 5 August 1998.
