The Bank Governor of Sierra Leone, Professor Kelfala M. Kallon has been promptly rebuffed by management of Awoko Newspaper, claiming that the newspaper quoted him out of context when in actual fact, the Awoko newspaper stated that it had the Bank Governor on tape making the statement he was now skilfully denying having made.

The Awoko newspaper would have publicly released the tape version of the Governor’s speech but refrained from doing so out of respect for the Judiciary. Read more below:  

Bank Governor Apologises to Sierra Leone Judges

“I am very sorry. My intention was not to paint the Judiciary bad. My comments about the Judiciary was a historical interpretation as presented by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. I profusely apologise and I am very sorry. It was a mistake but let me say that I was misinterpreted.”

The Bank Governor said the content of Awoko’s publication was a direct misrepresentation of his comments at Raddison Blu International Conference Center.

It could be recalled that before his departure to attend the 5th High Level Meeting of Chief Justices  and Heads of Constitutional Courts in Africa held in Cairo, Egypt, the Hon. Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards on Thursday, 10th June, 2021 had cause to summon the Bank Governor to a meeting with Supreme Court Justices to be held in his absence.

Awoko’s statement on the Bank Governor

Our attention has been drawn to the press release issued by the Judiciary in which the Bank Governor claims that we Awoko Newspaper quoted him out of context.

We wish to inform the Bank Governor that we have him on tape and we would have shared the audio publicly on all social media platforms.

We will however not do that, not because we want to protect the Bank Governor’s integrity which is already soiled, but out of respect for the Judiciary and the work they so selflessly do which most times goes unheralded.

We reiterate that at Awoko we hold ourselves to the highest standards and we do not publish to destroy people’s character, but we cannot be held  responsible for senior government officials who make flippant statements in public forums which might go to harm the country’s image abroad.

We advise them to engage proper and professional media handlers to guide their appearances and save our country from embarrassing gaffes.

Management.Orange Inves