Concord Times (Freetown)

Sierra Leone: PC Torto Dies in Kono

By Fuad Kamara, 24 April 2008

Kono — Aging paramount chief of Nimiyama chiefdom in the Kono district died on Sunday April 13 and was brought to a Freetown mortuary.

PC Torto has been one of the longest serving paramount chiefs in the district but could not enjoy the facilities due his throne because of the decade long war.

Meanwhile, his chiefdom speaker Philip Koroma automatically becomes the flagbearer of the chiefdom and people have already encouraged him to succeed the late chief Torto.

Koroma is currently before the Anti Corruption Commission for an alleged case of misappropriation of public funds.

The remains of the traditional head are expected back Kono by Saturday April 26 and will be laid to rest on Sunday April 27 in his chiefdom.

Tagged: Sierra Leone, West Africa

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Comments Post a comment

  • denise.stanley2
    May 5 2008, 07:02
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    hi as i am trying to contact george b torto ,for my son saa torto can you tell me if this was his father ,my son.s granfather ????? if you have information on his email ,would you pl;ease send it to me thanks denise

  • Adinjay
    May 8 2008, 07:43
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    I hail from Nimiyama chiefdom and I know George B. Torto and I also know that he has a son by you. Indeed this Paramount Chief Martin Ndapi Torto II who died recently is the grandfather of your son. I do not have George torto's cell number but you can reach his cousin Augustine Torto on 00 232 76 844 433. Augustine Torto is a member of Parliament in now.

  • ajaytop25
    May 7 2008, 10:25
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    Yes that's him.

  • bockariem
    May 22 2008, 10:56
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    Dear Editor, I wish to express appreciation to this medium for publishing news on Nimiyama, a 'class A' chiefdom in Kono district which has not been fortunate to enjoy radio coverage and is not regularly visited by journalists. The death of PC Torto leaves many non-Kono residents of the chiefdom worried because he was considered by both indigenes ands non-indigenes as a true leader whose openness and unbiased dispensation of justice encouraged people of all ethnicities and nationalities to settle and invest in the chiefdom. I am surprised that your article mentions Chiefdom Speaker Philip Koroma being encouraged to succeed the late Paramount Chief. Remember that Sierra Leone's paramount chietaincy is only rotational among established ruling families and the embattled Speaker has no such right. More importantly, the Speaker has been appointed Regent chief to hold the fort until a new PC is elected, but he is very unpopular with the youths and other local authorities because of the way he abused power when the SLPP was in power. Now the Chiefdom Speaker is making frantic efforts to win the favour of VP Sam Sumana to stay in power and continue his abuse of power which he started under the SLPP leadership. in addition to his Anti-Corruption case, he has to account for $54,000 paid by one mining company as royalty to the chiefdom for the past four yaers. So, how can such a man succeed a noble chief like the late PC Torto? No way! Thanks for your attention. Bockarie Marrah