By Tony Yayo
The Public Relations Assistant (PRA) of the Sierra Leone Airport Authority (SLAA) has been dismissed for indecent publications of the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
It was alleged that the PRA Abdul Karim Turay recently published disrespectful photos of President Julius Maada Bio via social media thereby disregarding the authority’slaws on social media against the first gentleman of the state.
The allegation against the sacked SLAA employee warranted the setting up of an investigative committeeto look into the matter to establish whether the act was done as alleged.
During the investigation, the accused worker informed the committee that he knew Gibril Sampha Bangura who was accused of posting the photo on social media.
He also told the committee that he becamefriend of Gibril Bangura during a study leave awarded him by SLAA with whom he collaborated to defame the President, an act that is against the laws of Sierra Leone.
The committee, according to the letter found the sacked employee guilty of the allegation made against him. The former employee’s action, according to the committee is in breach section 32(2) of the SLAA laws and rule 12 of the disciplinary code.
The SLAA press release in respect of the dismissal of Abdul Karim Turay indicates that the action of the dismissed worker has not onlydisreputedthe institution but also embarrassedthe staff.
Meanwhile, the sacked employee’s counsel has written SLAA condemning the employee’s dismissal which he referred to as “illegal” and “anti-SLAA policy.”
Counsel, through the letter, called on SLAA to “speedily” reinstate the dismissed staff or face court action. “The dismissed staff should be reinstated immediately or left with no other option but to seek redress in a court of law,” the letter reads in part.