The Special Court for Sierra Leone on June 3 will begin its trials of individuals accused of crimes committed during the country's 10-year civil war, with a joint trial of three former leaders of Sierra Leone's civilian militia, the Civil Defense Forces, the court announced. Moinina Fofana, Allieu Kondewa and former Internal Affairs Minister Sam Hinga Norman will face eight counts that include unlawful killing, physical violence, mental suffering, terrorizing civilians and using child soldiers.

The European Union has told Sierra Leone it will not help fund May local government elections due to still unanswered questions about corruption during previous ballots, a government minister said Monday. "The EU wrote my ministry that they are not in the position to fund the elections, even though the request was made eight months ago," Sidique Brima, the minister for local government, told reporters.

The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors, leading journalists and media executives in over 120 countries, is deeply worried by the criminal prosecution of Paul Kamara, the editor of the For Di People independent newspaper. According to information provided to IPI, Kamara is being prosecuted on two counts of "seditious libel" against the president.