By Felix Khonte
I begin this piece with my utter frustrations about our present political and economic uncertainties that have deeply reduced this nation to be rated as one of the hungriest countries in the world…a country blessed with huge mineral resources like diamonds, gold, marine resources, iron ore, and many other minerals that I need not mention them all.
But over the years since we gained independence from Great Britain in 1961, successive governments have not done justice to its citizens. The bulk of these minerals were carted away and sold to the Europeans and Chinese, only for the people to reap pittance from the sale of these resources. There is a story that Sierra Leone once discovered the largest diamond in the world which was nicknamed the “STAR OF SIERRA LEONE”. How it ended up in the world market for its sale, was another sad story to tell.
Moving forward, some of us who were fortunate to witness the horrible war that devastated this nation between 1991 and 2002, could not wish to see any semblance of it again as there are still fresh memories of its ramifications and consequences. We are seeing people whose limbs were amputated during that horrible and senseless war that was referred to as the cruelest in modern history. Thousands of people were killed; houses and infrastructures were destroyed, including the only oil refinery that was available in the country. We would not like to see this sad chapter happen again in this our beloved nation.
We have gone through trials and errors, twists and turns along the way, it is now time that we begin to put all our differences apart and start to inculcate the spirit of love and oneness so that we can build a better Sierra Leone for our future generation. But all of these analyses will only succeed where JUSTICE is seen to be applicable to all, without biasedness or favour, where the judiciary will stand tall in the discharge of their constitutional functions without prejudice, and where the Parliament is charged with the responsibility to make laws that are in consonance with the aims and aspirations of the masses, a Parliament that can crosscheck the excesses of the President.
What we are witnessing today is a far cry from what is expected from our administrators. Here is a Clerk of Parliament who was very blunt in calling the police to walk away opposition Parliamentarians out of the Well of Parliament as they were about to pass obnoxious laws that were not good for our fledgling democracy.
Now he has been caught in a criminal activity that should have warranted his removal from that position. But surprisingly enough, the head of the anti-graft agency had gone on radio and television telling the nation that part of the money that was involved in his wife’s unconstitutional earnings had been recovered. The simple truth here is, a crime has been committed and somebody must be held accountable for that offence. Truth be told, he is under the canopy of the EXECUTIVE. This has always been the negative ways the head of the anti-graft agency exercises his powers when it comes to matters of their party members. If it is a member of the opposition, he uses his sledgehammer to deal with that matter.
Since the multitier elections of 24th June, 2023, this country has degenerated so low internationally that we are now living on life support. Nothing seems to be functioning properly in the entire country. Donors have suspended their support to the country. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Union, and other bilateral agencies and nations have all held up their monies until the right thing is done pertaining to the fraudulent elections.
Even our backyard partners, the Africa Union and the ECOWAS, are moving on a snail’s pace in terms of assistance. But yet still, diehard supporters of the President (not the entire SLPP) are trumpeting his successes in the midst of harsh economic conditions. Our country is rated as the third hungriest in the world and the fourth unhappiest. What a pity!
The sequence of events moved so rapidly like they were prearranged by God Almighty to bring out things that were hidden to light. As we were in the electoral impasse, on the 26th November, 2023, we were awakened by heavy gunfire around the Wilberforce Barracks Main Armoury. Weapons were carted away, and they headed for the main correctional centre at Pademba Road and let loose thousands of inmates.
As I am writing, many of those prisoners who were fortunate to see the light of day have not been recaptured. As the investigations progressed, after it was first announced as a security breach, going further, it was pronounced a ‘coup’!
As the investigations intensified, a curfew was declared throughout Sierra Leone and massive checkpoints mounted along the highways leading to the provinces. The investigations and arrests continued unabated, and the former President was served with an invitation to report at the Criminal Investigations Department within twenty hours upon receipt of the invitation, with matters related to the attempted coup.
He was questioned for close to 40 (forty) hours and was finally slammed with four counts charges of treason. He was placed under house arrest with tight security around his vicinity. He has appeared twice before he was granted bail, under the auspices of ECOWAS to go for medical checkup in Nigeria. His next hearing is slated for Wednesday, 27th March, 2024.
But before the events of 26th November, our current President had met with the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Karim Kahn, at the corridors of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. They discussed lengthily about the prospects of bringing to book people who had committed the greatest crimes against the people of Sierra Leone since 2018. This culminated to the setting up of the Residual Special Court of Sierra Leone, and the hoisting of the Flame of Justice at the old Special Court premises at New England Ville in Freetown.
As things stand now, the fate of our two fathers at the moment is in great doubt, as nobody can predict the outcome of the charges of treason against the former President, and the findings of the Residual Special Court against the current President. Paradoxically, the hunted too has learnt how to hunt the hunter; this brings an end to the very game of hunting!
LET ME END THIS ARTICLE WITH THIS PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for being with us as a nation that has gone through trials, tribulations and warfare. We have tasted the unpalatable sauce of mayhem, where innocent blood has so much been shed. A new dawn is already on the way, restoration is about to take place in our nation. Celebration is coming soon as we go through these trying times. Regardless of our circumstances, regardless of our trials, regardless of our differences, we remain faithful to you as a nation. We thank you O Lord as our way maker, our promise keeper, our miracle worker. We believe that we have your favour as a nation, and you are about to step into our awesome future, with renewed hope and joy in JESUS’s MIGHTY NAME…AMEN!