December 16, 2021
BY: MOHAMED SAHR
Disability Confidential- Sierra Leone has filed a letter of complaint to the stakeholders against alleged police brutality, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment meted on certain People With Disabilities (PWDs) on Monday 13th December 2021.
According to the press statement, Disability Confidential-Sierra Leone alleged that a team of police officers attached to the Waterloo Police Division whose names were not known but if seen can be identified, brutally tortured four of its members.
The press statement disclosed that as a way of saving the faces of the police perpetrators, four of these People with Disabilities were charged to court on four counts of Riotous Conduct, Obstruction of police, Disorderly Behaviour and Malicious Damage.
They said ‘‘we are pleased to inform your good office that judgement was delivered on Friday 10th December 2021 and that the four Accused persons were acquitted and discharged.’’
The press statement noted that the acquittal is also a vindication of the People with Disabilities (PWDs) and a further attestation to the fact that the complaint against the police personnel is of substance; and is a serious indictment of the outright lack of professionalism on their part.
DISCOND-SL said ‘‘whilst the case was sub judice, we were constrained to maintain our silence after the letter of complaint so as not to prejudice same.’’
They called on the attention of the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Director- Independent Police Complaint Board (IPCB) and Inspector General of Police- CDIID for immediate justice to prevail.