By Sayoh Kamara
I am writing as the original author of the article published on the front page of the Nightwatch Newspaper of Tuesday, 1st July 2025, which has unfortunately been misrepresented by the Sierraloaded online platform with a misleading headline:“Flagbearer Aspirant Brig-Gen Kellie Conteh warns SLPP against choosing candidate from the South.”
This headline is not only grossly inaccurate, but also deliberately misleading. It falsely portrays Retired Brigadier-General Kellie Hassan Conteh as an aspirant for the SLPP flagbearer position—a claim that is entirely unfounded, malicious, and devoid of any truth.
Let me make it categorically clear: at no point in my article, nor in any statement by the General himself, was there any declaration—direct or implied—of an aspiration to contest for the SLPP flagbearer position. The headline you have published is therefore a serious misrepresentation of both the content and intent of the article.
The retired Brigadier-General merely offered a principled and cautionary perspective on the processes through which the SLPP should conduct its internal selection for the Presidential Flagbearer, advocating for fairness and balance without bias towards any region or individual.
Your mischaracterization not only distorts the facts but risks sowing unnecessary discord between the General and his party colleagues.
In light of the above, I hereby demand, on behalf of myself as the author and of Brigadier-General Kellie Hassan Conteh, that you promptly retract the said article or issue a corrected version with an appropriate headline. Additionally, we expect an unreserved public apology for the error, which has the potential to damage reputations and misinform the public.
I trust that your outlet will act swiftly and responsibly to correct this serious lapse in journalistic integrity.
