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There have been sleepless nights for opponents and critics of PC Foday Manso Koroma III since he was controversially elected Paramount Chief of Nieni Chiefdom in the Northern District of Koinadugu in January 2024, according to sources.
Even at the time of writing this news article, three farmers have left the Chiefdom because they said their rights to safety are being threatened by the Paramount Chief.
“We’re not safe here anymore, our human rights are violated by the Paramount Chief,” they said.
The Chief is allegedly using the Local Courts and Sub Chiefs to intimidate opponents and critics. PC Foday Manso Koroma is the uncle of Umaro Napoleon Koroma, the current Deputy Minister of Mineral Resources and National Secretary General of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party. Report says he’s bragging that nothing will come out of his actions as long as his nephew, Umaro Napoleon Koroma’s Party is in power.
Marred by a series of irregularities, the elections that brought PC Foday Manso Koroma to power were bloody and allegedly rigged. In fact, live gunshots were reportedly fired preventing majority of the Tribal Authorities from voting.
Just after the disputed elections, the Paramount Chief allegedly started hunting critics and opponents. The Chief, residents said has weaponised the Local Courts in the Chiefdom to punish those he consider critics.
“As I’m talking to you now, we have been forced to leave our village because the Paramount Chief is using the Local Court No 1 and the Chairman to suppress us,” Sheku Jalloh, a resident of Sawuria village said over the phone during an interview.
Jalloh and two others, Ibrahim Jawara and Foday Jalloh have fled the Chiefdom and are currently living in Freetown for safety. The three Cocoa farmers said they were forced to leave their families and hometown because they could no longer withstand the persistent intimidation and suppression against them by the Paramount Chief and his Sub Chiefs.
Immediately after the Paramount Chief was declared winner of Nieni Chiefdom Paramount Chieftaincy elections, the men left their home town of Sawuria for Yiffin, the headquarters of the Chiefdom because they weren’t only insulted and attacked but they were seen as traitors because of their loyalty to Robert Yirah Balla Koroma, the main challenger of the now Paramount Chief
Their situation worsened when they received “Summon Papers” from Nieni Chiefdom Local Court No 1 accusing them of inciting and provoking the sitting Paramount Chief. The men denied any wrongdoing.
According to the three victims, the Court is now demanding that each and everyone of them must pay NLE 700, and take along a cow, goats, hundred cola nuts, a “bata” of palm oil and other items as fine.
“We were surprised that the Local Court Chairman is demanding such huge sums of money and items that we couldn’t provide because we’re poor farmers,” the three victims said.
The farmers said there were several attempts by the authorities to arrest them because they couldn’t afford to pay all of the fine. One of their brothers who stands as surety they said was arrested, detained and fined.
During a telephone interview, the Paramount Chief denied the allegation. The Chief called his accusers lawless citizens who want to undermine his leadership. The three farmers, he said are bent on disrespecting and provoking him. As Chief, he said he’s going to use the laws of the land to punish them.
Responding to the allegation, the Local Court No 1 Chairman, Tamba Koroma said the farmers haven’t attended his Court since they were summoned for incitement and provoking the sitting Paramount Chief. He denied any allegation of harassment and suppression.
Nieni, a Chiefdom in the heartland of the Kuranko is not at ease as a result of the outcome of the last Paramount Chieftaincy elections.
I’m suspecting those three victims are saying the truth
The 3 men said truth that is what happene in that chiefdom right now
Nothing to be compromised with in that Chiefdom. If they tend to disobey the Chief and the higher authorities, let them be punished or they leave the chiefdom and go where rascality it marry as where they are now.
The opponent has been the engineer to undermined the authorities in that Chiefdom, and he should be one day handle to deal with according to the law because no born of individual is bigger than Nieni Chiefdom.
The people of Yiffin are so desperate for power that if don’t win any single election in that chiefdom will hinder them. What a hatred minded people! 😭
Again, sierraloaded should be careful when collecting information in that Chiefdom. This publisher hide his identity when u went there and decide to interviewed only one side of the story in that chiefdom because of money (bribe). Shame on you!☹️
The audios how u went there and decided to interviewed one-sided story has already leaked.
You will one day brought to book for disseminating wrong news in that chiefdom.
These three Farmers are criminals in deed the provoke and abuse the new paramount chief and his stakeholders
Those three are just propagandists, they are puppet been using by Robert yirrah kororma but they will not succeed in doing so, how could they not afford le 700 for a fine but they can afford transport to flee to the city ? The transportation from yiffin to Freetown is above le 700 particularly this raining session so let those guys keep theirs stinky mouth and work in accordance with the reamit of the law. Associating Napolion affliction with pc fm Koroma is just baseless and its a way of siphoning situations to school theirs cheap politics failure, unless they remain spending the rest of theirs life in the city but if they attempt to return yiffin they have to face the full force of the law with meted punishment so the ranting about pc fm Koroma is enough now, and to you the law belleh journalists who live by your ID card that tend to send integrity behind your back with bias and unbalanced reports try to investigate both side before you jumped to logical conclusion. I crave your indulgence please have some respect for journalists don’t just take pen and paper because of the huge chunk of money offered to you blemish someone’s character without you having clue of the exact story i dare you now to to disclaim your nasty article about pc fm Koroma. I use to have small respect for you before but it’s now that I know come to the conclusion that some of your stories are not factual you are just seeking for favor from both parties but pc fm Koroma will not give you a single cent and when you goes against the cyber laws of the country he will sue you for defamation of character. @Fabaina.
I can’t say it. True or false because am not they presently, but they three men are my uncle from my mother said
Also the person that is putting this pressure on them is my elder brother
But I want to say my own opinion as lily as I’m I will not be like this forever
Also you guys should know that what goes around comes around
The village is not the same anymore,the young once are trying in team of education and this will be a greater problems in the feature
If my uncles are going through Such things
I can’t be in support of that
(Uncle Ibrahim,Foday ,&sheku ) be patient okey all this will come to and end justice will prevail one day!!
As they said no one is above the law,
My advice to you uncles is that pay that 700le
And know that we are taking note of all what is happening now to you guys
I believe you guys are saying the truth