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The Judiciary of Sierra Leone has disclosed that the Director of Native Consortium and Research Center, Edmund Abu Jr. harassed lawyers for Africell and NATCOM by making financial demands to settle their legal matter out of Court.
The Judiciary made this disclosure in a press release issued on 18 January 2022, while dismissing false and unfounded claims that they are in support of mobile operators in the ongoing trial with Mr. Abu Jr.
The Judiciary disclosed that, Mr. Abu was awarded the sum of One Hundred Million Leones old Leones (Le100,000,000.00) as costs in his favor, on behalf of the 300 plaintiffs he represented.
The release states that the Director of Native Consortium and Research Center is currently before Honourable Justice Adrian Fisher J, for Contempt of Court proceedings, by the provisions of Section 120 (5) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No. 6 of 1991. before he was committed to the Pademba Road Correctional Center for twenty-one (21) days.
The Judiciary revealed that during the trial, complaints were made by lawyers for Africell and NATCOM about Mr. Abu’s conduct in harassing them by making financial demands to settle the matter out of Court, adding that the lawyers also complained about Abu publishing prejudicial statements about the trial on social media.
“The Honourable Justice Fisher later granted an Order on the 26th day of February 2021, restraining publication and comments on the case as it was sub judice,” the Judiciary stated.
The release further revealed that despite the Court’s order, Mr. Edmund Abu Jr. continued to make publications on social media as well as the traditional media to impugn the credibility of the Judiciary and the Honourable Judge, who was presiding on the matter.
The Judiciary also disclosed that on the day of Judgment on the said matter, Abu Jr. couldn’t produce his predicted judgment, noting that the matter has been completed and judgment delivered against him.
“The Judiciary of Sierra Leone wishes it to be known that it does not arrest and detain any person “for no reason.” The Judiciary always acts by the laws of Sierra Leone, in particular Section 120(1) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No 6 of 1991. which vests Judicial powers on the Judiciary of Sierra Leone,” the Judiciary stated.
“The proceedings for Contempt of Court would be heard by Honourable Justice Fisher on the 31″ of January 2023. Mr. Abu has been served with all relevant papers for him to prepare his defense to the (10 counts) charges of Contempt of Court, he faces,” they concluded.
