Edmond Abu jailed 21 days for contempt, loses matter against mobile companies  

By Ibrahim Kabba Turay

Edmond Abu Jr, Executive Director of the Native Consortium and Research Centre, has been jailed for 21 days imprisonment for contempt, while the court also dismissed his case against mobile network operators.

He will spend 21 days pending the hearing and determination of the contempt proceedings against him.

The plaintiff, Edmond Abu and 300 members of the public filed a motion against 1^st defendant- Africell Sierra Leone Limited, 2^nd defendant Orange Sierra Leone, 3^rd defendant Sierratell Sierra Leone and 4^th defendant National Telecommunications Commission for breaching and failing to comply with the requirement to provide free call by way of compensation in conformity with the 4^th defendant’s instructions.

They recall that at the Bintumani Conference Centre, there was a public outcry on the part of the plaintiff about the poor quality of service provided by the 1^st 2^nd 3^rd defendant and a failure in regulation by the 4^th defendant, which had left the plaintiffs frustrated.

The plaintiffs prayed that the 4^th defendant’s  statutory functions are generally to license and regulate the activities of the 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd defendant, being  the telecommunication operators and to set specific standard of performance in relation to the provision of telecommunication service.

However, Justice Fisher dismissed the prayers of the plaintiffs, especially the one for compensation.

He further dismissed prayer for damages of the plaintiff against the defendants and ordered that the 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd defendants shall within 30 days from the judgment, put out notices and comply fully with the provision of Section 37 of the Telecommunications Act of 2006.

He ordered that the 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd  shall be providing  information within Section 37 of the Telecommunications Act of 2006  by SMS to the public in every 90 days of their role and responsibilities.

He ordered that the fourth defendant shall collaborate with the 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd defendants to comply with the orders and  further ordered that the 4^th defendant shall within 90 days establish procedures by which the 1^st 2^nd and 3^rd  shall be operating.

He ordered that the 4^th defendant shall within 30 days of the judgment, establish a system of compensation for consumers to be paid by any company,who fail to adhere to their procedure.