By Francis H. Murray
Former Social Welfare Minister, Dr. Sylvia Blyden was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services last Friday when she made her first appearance before Magistrate Hannah Bonnie in Freetown at the start of preliminary investigations into a 10-count charge including seditious and defamatory libel, false publication, and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
The prosecution alleges that “on diverse dates Sylvia Blyden did make defamatory publications against President Bio and the country considered likely to injure the reputation of the president and the country”.
Blyden is jointly charged with Hussain Muckson Sesay, a third-year Engineering student of Fourah Bay College.
M.O. Wilson, lawyer for the second accused Sesay, told the court that despite being jointly charged with first accused Blyden, his client was charged with only one count. He said his client was arrested and held in police detention for twenty one days for allegedly “posting an ordinary photo of Sylvia Blyden on social media which he denies.”
In applying for bail on grounds that her medical condition needed attention, Dr. Blyden, who is representing herself, said that she had fallen ill in the custody of the police for 22 days, and that at no time was she granted bail despite several requests.
She said she was not given access to her handbag containing her passport and other items, and that the bag remained in the custody of the police.
She added that she was “locked up in solitary confinement without food and water”.
State prosecutor Adrian Fisher opposed the bail application. Both accused persons were denied bail and the case adjourned to the 28th May.
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