**Updates IFEX alert of 18 February 2000** (RSF/IFEX) – Ayodele Lukobi Johnson and Ayodele Walters, managing editor and reporter, respectively, with “Rolyc Newspaper”, were granted bail on 21 February 2000, in Freetown. The two journalists are expected to appear before the magistrate next week. According to information collected by RSF, on 16 February Lukobi Johnson […]
**Updates IFEX alert of 18 February 2000**
(RSF/IFEX) – Ayodele Lukobi Johnson and Ayodele Walters, managing editor and reporter, respectively, with “Rolyc Newspaper”, were granted bail on 21 February 2000, in Freetown. The two journalists are expected to appear before the magistrate next week.
According to information collected by RSF, on 16 February Lukobi Johnson and Walters were taken to Pademba Road prison. They have been charged with “sedition”, “libel” and “publishing false news”. “Rolyc Newspaper” had earlier published a story alleging that President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and two ministers – who are also members of his family -had participated in “sacrificing a virgin” in 1997 when a military regime was in power, in an attempt to restore the elected government to power.
