By: Aruna Kamara (BO)
Civil Society Activists in Bo have lauded the step taken by the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL) to witness the three days of public inquiries on the conduct of Law Enforcement Officers over alleged human rights violations in the Southern region starting on Wednesday, 10th August to 12th 2022.
Speaking to A-Z Newspaper at his Office, the National Coordinator of Children and Youth Agency (CYPA) Sierra Leone who doubles as the Secretary of the Civil Society Forum in Bo District, Rev Momoh Kamara, said that nobody is above the law and if the police are allegedly violating the rights of the people who are paying them from their taxes, they should be investigated without fear or favour.
He said that let justice prevails at the hearing and that civil society activists will be around to monitor the hearing as they want to see a fair hearing.
Residents of Bo said that there is a lot of human rights violation committed by the police that should be investigated.
Fatmata Katta said that his brother has been a victim of circumstance of police brutality during a riot, noting that “we are about letting the public know what the police have done to us.”
According to the Deputy Director of Human Rights Commission, Sierra Leone in the Southern, Region, Mohamed T. Fofanah, HRCSL is conducting a public Inquiry into the conduct of law enforcement officials for human rights violations that occurred between the periods of January 2015 to December 2021.
“As provided in the Act of Human Rights Commission 2006, it is part 2 section 2a (Complaints, Investigation and Inquiry) that gives the commission the mandate to look into cases of human rights violations and for the southern region, the hearing will take place at Sidamie Hall, New Gerehun Road in Bo starting on Wednesday this week,” he said.
The hearing has been held in Kono and the team is led by the Vice Chairperson of HRCSL, Victor Lansana for the south-East Hearing.
Some police officers, who spoke to A-Z Newspaper on the condition of anonymity, said that it is difficult to satisfy human beings, adding that some people cannot appreciate the work of law enforcement officers.
“We perform our duty within the ambit of the law but in the process of discharge our duty we might make misstate and it is these mistakes that the civilians will capitalize on to give unfair testimony about their encounter with the police,” a police officer said.