News Story

BRIDGEWATER, NEW JERSEY: FROM NEW PEOPLE CORRESPONDENT: Earlier today, The New People asked a series of simple questions which the newspaper expected the Vice-President to answer openly and in public in the spirit of transparency and zero tolerance for corruption. The response has been a disappointing flurry of half-truths and threats of legal action in New Jersey. At least, reports and responses have started getting at the truth.

1. Was Foday Mansaray ever in the company of the vice-president? Foday Mansaray himself says he has not been in the company of the vice president. He says, "Just to tell you that this is the figment of the writers imagination , I was no where around the Vice President today as the writer states."

If what Reverend Kabs-Kanu and Hon. Balogun "Logus" Koroma write are correct, then Mr. Foday Mansaray is guilty of attempting to deceive the public just as he has been dithering and failing to respond to The New People's e-mail and telephone calls for clarification.

Reverend Wilfred Kabs-Kanu's report asserts categorically that Mr. Foday Mansaray has been in the company of the Vice President. He states that he carried out an interview with the Vice President in the company of Mr. Foday Mansaray. He says, "Later, [The Vice President's] interview with COCORIOKO  was conducted in the presence of the Sierra Leone Ambassador to the U.S, Bockarie Stevens ; the Minister of State in the Vp'S Office, Mr. Leonard Balogun Koroma and Messrs Foday Mansaray and Alex Mansaray.

Balogun Koroma is also quoted as saying that Mr. Foday Mansaray has been in the company of the Vice President: ""Foday, Reference our telephone conversation a few minutes ago re: false and gutter journalism rumours about the Hon. Vice President buying property in New Jersey during his ongoing visit to the United States of America. You guys have been constantly with us since our arrival on Sunday night, and you are in a position to make unbiased comments one way or the other."

So who is telling a lie? Can Mr. Foday Mansaray please confirm again whether he has been in the company of the Vice President or not? Is there a cover-up just as his failure to clarify whether the VP has purchased real property worth $1million in Bridgewater, Somerset County, NJ?

2. Did The New People try contacting Mr. Foday Mansaray as PRO of APC North America so that he could help The New People seek clarification from the Vice President? Mr. Foday Mansaray himself has proven by way of re-posting the e-mail from the editor that this medium did seek clarification from him. The editor also has re-posted the telephone number on which it tried contacting Mr. Foday Mansaray - 732-619-0297. Mr. Foday Mansaray can affirm or deny whether the telephone number belongs to him and whether he did receive the e-mail from the editor prior to our going to press.

3. Is Mr. Foday Mansaray in the real estate business? Well, it is obvious that Mr. Mansaray indeed works in real estate.

A lot of other questions remain unanswered.

1. Why is the Vice President in New Jersey and in Somerset County in particular (where the house is located), and in the company of an APC official who is in real estate banking when US policy makers and political leaders are all based in Washington, DC 200 miles away?

2. The New People has not claimed that the Vice President has closed on the house quite unlike the diversionary article Reverend Kabs-Kanu is writing. Evidently, until people close house deals, titles and other documents cannot be available for that property. So, Rev. Wilfred Kabs-Kanu's diversionary question and comment about titles or documents is an attempt by the APC leadership and Rev. Kabs-Kanu that muddle the whole issue. Is the Vice President going to close on this house or any other house in in New Jersey? A simple answer will clarify the issue for readers rather than all this diversionary bunkum about titles etc.

Besides, Rev. Wilfred Kabs-Kanu's attempt to brand this medium an SLPP newspaper bears no relevance to the simple question asked by this medium. Obviously, he brings this line in to close ranks among APC cadre after Mr. Foday Mansaray and other APC officials have clearly failed to clarify the matter to the fullest extent possible.

3. If The PRO of APC North America has nothing to hide, why did he not respond directly to The New People in private (via e-mail or telephone) before The New People went to press after The New People asked him for clarification in a private e-mail and through several attempts to reach him on his personal cell-phone number?

4. Instead of answering the simple question with a "yes" or "no," Mr. Foday Mansaray threatens court action thus: "The "New People"  must refute this story within 12 hours. This is considered a  nuisance and a total distraction to  the Vice President 's compassionate plea here in NJ and  at the City University  in New York . If the story is not retracted , we will  file a law suit with the  Superior Court of New Jersey for an order to show cause  and will prosecute all involved to the full extent of the law within the jurisdiction of the State of New Jersey,Somerset County , United States of America." The New People has no cause to show by asking an open, public question after Mr. Foday Mansaray refused to answer questions for clarification on this matter.

THERE WILL THEREFORE BE NO RETRACTION. MR. FODAY MANSARAY HAS THE OPTION OF ANSWERING OR NOT ANSWERING THE CLEAR, SIMPLE QUESTION ASKED BY THE NEW PEOPLE. IF HE BELIEVES THAT MAKING THREATS WILL MAKE THE ISSUE GO AWAY, REST ASSURED THAT THE NEW PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE SEEKING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.

If the story is confirmed as true and correct, does the Vice President intend to add this $1 million dollar home to his list of assets if assets are ever publicly declared by Sierra Leone government ministers? The New People believes that private Sierra Leoneans have a right to purchase and hold real estate in any value in the United States and the Vice President is no exception.