THE
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SIERRA LEONE
PRESS
RELEASE NO 24
Members of the General Public would recall that in
February, 2010, there were media reports that a group of Presidential
Body Guards had assaulted, arrested and detained some employees of the
Bo/Kenema Power Station (BKPS) during a
Presidential Visit to Kenema. Following
the receipt of a formal complaint on the matter, the Human Rights
Commission under powers conferred on it by section 7 (2) of the Human
Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (Act, No.9 of 2004) instituted an
investigation to ascertain whether the reported incident violated any
human rights or freedoms of the persons allegedly assaulted, arrested and
detained.
The Complainants were:
1. Juana Fangawa
2. Rashid Jawaneh
3. Mohamed Mondor Kabba
4. Henry Bockarie
5. Emmanuel Farma
And the Respondents
1. Inspector General of Police
2. OSD Inspector Momoh Bangura
3. OSD 11775 Sgt Alex Alim
Bangura
The findings and conclusions of the investigation
revealed that the following rights of the complainants were violated:
·Protection from Arbitrary Arrest and Detention –
right to personal liberty contrary to section 17 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone
– (Act No 6 of 1991)
·Protection from torture, cruel, inhuman and
degrading treatment – right to be treated with dignity
contrary to section 20 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone –
(Act No 6 of
1991).
In accordance with Rule 22 (2) of the Human Rights
Complaints Investigation and Inquiries Rules (2008), a Conciliation meeting
was held in Kenema on 19th March, 2011
where the findings and conclusions were disclosed to the parties and
discussions held to reach a settlement.
The Commission is pleased to inform the general
public that at the Conciliation meeting, the following agreement was
reached and signed by all the parties:
1. That the Sierra Leone Police accepts the Human
Rights Commission’s findings and conclusion, and
takes full
responsibility for the incident of 7th February 2010 at the
Presidential Lodge Kenema and the Bo Kenema Power Station (BKPS) and has apologized to the
Complainants for the violations who have accepted the apology.
2. That the parties agree that a radio program will
be conducted immediately after this conciliation to be aired at least 3
days which the parties shall announce the resolution of this matter and
the police shall publicly apologize to the Complainants with a view of
restoring the Complainant’s dignity and appeal to the public to desist from
using the incident to threaten and provoke complainants.
3. That to prevent a recurrence of this incident,
the parties agree that the Sierra Leone Police in collaboration with the
Human Rights Commission will conduct a corrective training for all of the
Presidential Bodyguards.
4. That all pictures and record in police custody
incriminating the Complainants and in particular pictures taken of the Complainants
by Police with label “saboteurs” will be destroyed and confirmation provided to the Human
Rights Commission of Sierra Leone.
5. That the Sierra Leone Police will make a symbolic
payment, which shall remain confidential to the Complainants, as evidence
of this reconciliation which the Complainants shall distribute among
themselves as a traditional way of accepting the Sierra Leone Police’s
apology and to signify closure of this matter.
The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone wishes
to thank all the parties involved for a successful handling of the matter
leading to an agreeable closure.
The Human Rights Commission of
Sierra Leone is an independent institution established by Statutory
instrument Act No. 9 of 2004 with the mandate to protect and promote
human rights in Sierra
Leone.
Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone
37 Wellington
Street- Freetown
69 Blama Road –Kenema
30 Wallace
Johnson Street –
Makeni
1 Old Railway Line- Bo
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