Sierra Leone Telegraph: 22 January 2016
After spending two nights in the maximum security jail, following the decision of magistrate Seray Wurie to refuse bail, Alie Kabba was today granted a ‘stay of execution’ by the Koroma government.
Will the country’s Attorney General intervene on grounds of ‘nolle prosequi’, now that the case has been committed to the High Court as expected?
Alie Kabba, who is regarded as a political prisoner of conscience by his supporters, has been charged with bigamy, after his divorced wife – the current local government minister Diana Konomanyi, alleged that Alie was still married to his ex-wife in America, when he married Diana in Freetown in 2013.
But family law experts are astonished that Diana’s request for divorce was not based on the allegation of bigamy, an allegation that only surfaced after Alie Kabba publicly announced his intention to contest presidential election in 2018 for the opposition SLPP.
This, supporters say, raises strong suspicion of political victimisation. They are accusing the Koroma government of conjuring up a bogus and trumped up charge of bigamy, simply to deny Alie Kabba his civil liberty and human rights.
Tonight, Alie Kabba is a free man, but at a price. His bail conditions imposed yesterday, which his sureties were unable to meet, have been described by legal experts as unduly draconian and disproportionate, given the lack of risk to public safety and state security attached to the allegation of bigamy.
At Wednesday’s conclusion of preliminary examination of the prosecution’s evidence and the ‘no case to answer’ submission put forward by Alie Kabba’s lawyers, magistrate Seray Wurie concluded that he was satisfied that the matter should now be committed to the High Court for adjudication.
The High Court will look at all the evidence surrounding the two counts charge of bigamy levied against Alie Kabba, in particular, Section 57 of the offences against the person Act of 1861 and Section 2(1) of the perjury Act of 1911.
Magistrate Wurie imposed bail at Le100 million, requiring two sureties who must be residents of the Western Area, above the age of 50 years. Both sureties today surrendered their passports and title deeds to their respective properties located in the Western Area.
Alie Kabba has surrendered his passport and will refrain from travelling out of the country, until the conclusion of the case as required by the terms of his bail.
Speaking for the Alie Kabba Campaign Team, a spokesperson said: “We have all seen with our naked eyes the way Alie Kabba is being treated for a so called ‘bigamy’ allegation. Even without being tried and found guilty, we are clearly seeing the huge arm twisting and iron fist meted out against Alie Kabba.
“We do not need to be political scientists to know the high level politicisation of this newly found political charge. The way and manner in which the presiding magistrate Seray Wurie conducted himself, especially with regards the draconian bail terms, suggests a political ploy to dismantle Alie Kabba’s stance against injustice.
“Alie Kabba will never be given justice in any court of law in Sierra Leone. He is a prisoner of conscience and a political prisoner. The only means by which Alie Kabba will be free from the iron grip of APC is through mass mobilisation and action.”
Alie Kabba was first arrested by the police in Freetown on Christmas Eve and released on Boxing Day. He was rearrested again and taken to the Pademba Road prison before appearing at the magistrate court for preliminary proceedings.
After two appearances at the magistrate court, Alie Kabba was incarcerated behind bars once again, supporters say on orders from above. But according to magistrate Wurie, Alie Kabba had violated his bail conditions.
Alie Kabba is now waiting to appear at the High Court where his supporters expect his evidence to be fully and responsibly examined by a Judge. They are hoping for a fair trial at the High Court.
Without prejudice or malicious intentions pursuant to the reasonable rationale as expressed in the hearsay recording.
Question.: Has individual human’s in and from Sierra Leone truly love or like each other?
I beg to differ on the contrary as evidence adduced proves otherwise.
The only country that had a civil war whereby a fellow Sierra Leonean mutilates another fellow citizen or hacked to death(notwithstanding never witnessed the civil unrest in Sierra Leone).
I repeat my question again. Do we truly or sincerely love or like each other?
When are we going to smell the coffee that we don’t but for constantly pretending to love or show our love only when the person is dead.
Laughable indeed. Why and how long please?
I plea to the motion that we should abhorrent to full stop to Injustice dictatorship including state ongoing criminality
Everyone In
Do we truly love each other?
I’m not a legal scholar, but the court case between Dr. Alie S. Kabba and Ms Finda Diana Konomanyi had been declared null and void since January 30, 2015. This was because she FILED for divorce after a year of traditional marriage to her then husband.
Her request for divorce, upon knowing that Dr. Kabba had not yet finalized the dissolution of his relationship with Mrs. Edith Cline-Kabba, was granted and recent wedding with the Respondent at the Registrar General’s Office in Freetown annulled.
What does Ms Diana really want again from Dr. Kabba? It seems as if she is making herself to being a “Special Muslim” who excludes bed mates with a political fist and might. Her charge of bigamy is ridiculous and superfluous. Because polygamy encompasses bigamy.
We the African people have been fooled too long for far too much by the White Man with Section 57 of the offences against the person Act of 1861 and Section 2(1) of the perjury Act of 1911. Dates and Times when our grandfathers were yet unborn. When are we going to wake up and rise above this frailty?
By the way, which of the following monogamies does Ms Diana believe in: Marital monogamy, Social monogamy or Sexual monogamy? And does she have any religious philosophy? If yes, what is it? Sheer Nonsense! I advise that she drops the case and live in peace with all men. Amen.
I am surprised at some of the allegations around the bigamy case Diana is bringing up now, just to stop Alie Kabba from doing what he think is the right thing to do. And I am ashamed of saying I am a Sierra Leonean because of all the disgraceful things that’s going on in mama salone.
Please someone, help free us from the hands of the APC and their wicked thoughts, otherwise they will kill us all. Today is Alie Kabba, tomorrow will be someone else, so long as we continue to fight for justice.
With all what has been reported on the court proceedings, I cannot see how Alie will ever get a fair trial. They say, you are innocent until proven guilty, but in Alie’s case, he had been proven guilty even before he landed in Sierra Leone.
What Are The Leaders Of The Main Opposition Party (SLPP) Doing?
A house that is divided against itself cannot stand. We have an Opposition Leader who does not respect the one term leadership of the post he currently, but is (PAOPA) VERY POWER DRUNK for the executive power of being president of Sierra Leone through his supporters in the SLPP.
Whilst the SLPP constitution mandated a one term limit FOR THE SECRETARY GENERAL of the party, reading from one of Maada’s supporters, he wants at least another two more terms making three terms as Ernest Koroma did before he become president through dubious means.
SLPP should realise that Julius Maada Bio is a liability, not an Asset to the party. Since his assumption of leadership, we have seen massive defections such as Sylvia Blyden, Osman Boie Kamara, etc, from the party.
The three and a half months he led Sierra Leone during NPRC2 junta, they emptied the state treasury and it was reported that he spent more money than the nearly 4 years of his predecessor Valentine Strasser and previous the government combined.
Maada Bio, by being genuine in your power pursuits; and show respect for the SLPP constitution for one term leadership; and using your authority to help incoming aspirants in their current challenges they are encountering now, you will be highly respected when your term finishes and if the SLPP win the next general elections.
God will surely see our brother through this. We should stand together and do whatever it takes to get justice. He has done nothing wrong.