PRESS RELEASE

Freetown, 18th October 2022: IMC commences Hearing on Allegations by Justice Radio against the Commission and 4 Commissioners.

The Independent Media Commission (IMC) has through its Complaints Committee, on Tuesday 18th October 2022, held its first hearing session on the allegation by Justice Radio FM 98.5 located at Kissy, Freetown, against the Commission and four Board Members of the Commission, that they are ‘operatives of the opposition All Peoples Congress planted in the Commission’.

The four Commissioners were nominated by independent national institutions and appointed by the President of Sierra Leone, H.E. Julius Maada Bio, as prescribed by The Independent Media Commission Act 2020 (Act No 5 of 2020).

Stating the particulars of the matter, the Chairman of the IMC Complaints Committee, Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai Esq stated that the Commission was acting on a monitoring report alleging that on Monday, 10th October 2022, the Presenter of ‘The Justice Good Morning Show’ on Justice Radio FM 98.5, Justince V. Boima, referred to four Commissioners of the IMC as ‘operatives of the opposition All Peoples Congress planted in the Commission’.

The respondent radio did not make any appearance for the hearing that was conducted at the conference room of the Commission at 54 Siaka Stevens, Street Freetown and did not state any reason for their absence. The matter was therefore adjourned to Tuesday, 25th October, 2022, in line with the provisions of the IMC Act and Media Code of Practice, and the rules of the Commission.

Meanwhile, Justice Radio is scheduled to appear before the Complaints Committee on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, to respond to a complaint filed by the Mayor of the Freetown City Council, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr against them, through her legal representatives, JFK & Partners of 42 Bathurst Street, Freetown.

Khalil Kallon

Executive Secretary

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