Anthony Brewah is in a fine mess of his own making right now. He is so politically damaged that even some of his best friends are almost certainly staying away from him to see where the investigation around how a controversial magician serving 25 years in jail for murder came to be released by a recent presidential pardon. Baimba Moi-foray, alias LAC was in jail for the last seven years or so for the murder of a popular DJ.

The former AG chaired the Prerogative of Mercy committee which approved the release. Principal has now reversed his own decision in respect of LAC after a huge public outcry. Anthony Brewah is back in his private chamber, sacked for the second time in a government he helped bring to power in his own small way.

We have spoken to at least two members of that committee and they painted a picture that leaves us with the conclusion that the former AG was determined to get LAC out of that prison. We are not rushing to conclusion because we understand a long standing barrister who has served the Law Officer’s Department has been

asked to investigate the circumstances that led to the release of LAC.
The president’s spokesman has already called the procedure used to arrive at the names of those pardoned as ‘flawed’. Let’s see what the report says. For now, we have some issues to bring up as ordinary Sierra Leoneans. Here we go:

1. What was the former AG really thinking when he invited or allowed LAC to visit his country home? A day after helping to controversially get the convicted murderer out of jail, he drives across the country to meet with the man who chaired the committee that paved the way for his release in his private home miles away. What was that about?

2. Allegations are flying all over the place about what that meeting was about but in this business we have to keep a professional distance from those allegations for now. A senior lawyer has been asked to look into the matter. We are also doing our own investigation in the best interest of the good people of Sierra Leone.

3. We want Anthony Brewah to say goodbye to public life because any other attempt to hold a public office would immediately conjure the ghost of DJ CLEFF. Apart from that to lose such big jobs twice in a less than THREE years is a serious matter. Principal’s judgement would be called into question should he decide to re-appoint Brewah even as a village chief.

RADO SWARAY WAS IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME

Information Minister Rado Sawray was quick to take to social media to explain how he came to be in a group picture taken in the home of the sacked AG with LAC and some of his people. This happened in the hours leading to the sacking of the AG. We believe what Rad told the world. If Rado had served on the mercy committee, he would be gone by now, whether or not this meeting was coincidental or his intentions were genuine.

Rado says it was coincidental because he had called the former AG on his way to Bo. He then visited the home of the former AG in the town of Tiama which is about half an hour away from Bo to greet his friend and cabinet colleague. It was in that house that he met LAC and others. Rado was simply in the right place at the wrong time. We say the right place because this was the private home of his friend. There is nothing wrong with visiting a friend. We describe the timing as wrong because a convicted murderer was also visiting that house at that same time.

We have seen a few social media comments trying to make Rado guilty of some criminal offence for visiting his friend. Minister that make decisions daily are not the most popular people. They hurt many by following what they believe in or executing a government project under collective responsibility.

Those who took the decision to sack the AG and spare Rado have simply told us he has no case to answer. Rado had no control over the environment to which he was invited. We are sure if Rado knew LAC was there, he would have simply said hi to the former AG and continue his trip to Bo.