BY: HAJA HAWA KOROMA
Different organizations/institutions have been engaged and has growing interest in the LAJ`s matter, especially because of the reports of Human Rights violations and police brutality that the singer and rapper has faced from the police whilst in custody.
The Sierra Leone Bar Association being one of the interested members in the matter has released a press statement on the 19th June 2022 about the arrest and detainment of the famous Sierra Leone rapper and musician Alhaji Amadu Bah popularly known as LAJ.
The Sierra Leone Bar Association (SLBA) has been following with keen interest the incidents surrounding the arrest of LAJ and his subsequent detention on 12th June 2022. The SLBA is gravely concerned about the allegations of torture and degrading treatment of LAJ and the refusal of the police in allowing his family members and his Solicitors to have access to him whilst in police custody as contained in an open letter dated 17th June 2022, which was addressed to the Inspector General of Police.
Moreover, these allegations of inhumane treatments received by LAJ from the police have been supported by the admission of the Sierra Leone Police through a press release that was issued out on the 18th June 2022 stating that “Alhaji Amadu Bah who was and still in custody, had his dreadlocks shaved off…” . Thus, these actions taken by the SLP amounts to degrading and serious mistreatment and are in blatant violation of section 20(1) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone 1991 Act No. 6 of 1991.
According to the press release, the SLBA views the reasons and actions of the SLP unjustified and inexcusable as the Standard Operating Procedure in the said facility is in a stark variance with the provisions of section 20(1) of the 1991 constitution Supra and it disregards the several International Treaty Instruments that Sierra Leone has ratified which provides for, among other things, the respect of the inherent dignity of a person and the protection against torture and other cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment whilst in custody.
The SLBA is aware that the general duties of the SLP are to detect crimes, to apprehend offenders, to preserve law and order and to protect lives and properties, but these duties do not derogate the SLP from its adherence to presumption of innocence of a detainee and the provision of section 17(a) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act of 6 1991, which provides for, amongst other things, the right of a detained person to have access to a legal practitioner and to communicate with him confidentially.
Therefore, as upholders and moral guarantors of the Constitution of Sierra Leone and all other International instruments binding on us as people and as a country, the SLBA are deeply concerned by this state of affairs. The violator of the laws and values should certainly not be the SLP, as they have vowed to enforce the laws as enshrined in the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
Due to all these Factors, the SLBA calls on the Independent Police Complaints Board to conduct an immediate investigation into all allegations of torture, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment of LAJ and other detainees relating to his arrest.
Also, that the Police Council suspends it’s operations of all SOPs in Police Custody Facilities and undergoes a thorough review of the said SOPs to ensure they are compliant with the provisions of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No 6 and International Treaty Instruments which guarantee rights to human treatment in detention.
Furthermore, the SLBA requests for the retained Solicitors of LAJ, the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone and his Family Members be granted an immediate and unconditional access to the suspect while in police custody facility.
And for him to be brought before a court of law within ten days from the date of his arrest, which is Sunday 12th June 2022, pursuant to the provision of section 17(3)(a) of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No. 6 of 1991.
The Fullah Progressive Union also issued out a press release on the 20th June 2022, stating that they are concerned over the arrest and mistreatment of their kin, Musician and rapper LAJ and others involved. The union therefore draws the attention of the Police Council to a press release which was issued out by the SLP dated 18th June 2022 and requests that the Police Council launches an investigation into the conduct of his detention at “Benghazi”.
In addition, the FPU would like for all related institutions in the said matter to operate within their legal mandates whilst implementing the Rule of Law to the letter and allow justice to prevail. They also call on the Police Council for immediate intervention to ensure prompt and immediate access to family members and LAJ’s legal representatives for all those detained in this case as guaranteed by the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.
In relation to the above requests made by the SLBA and the FPU, the Independent Police Complaints Board has responded with a press release issued out on Monday 20th June 2022, where they expressed their concerns by the media reports and press releases from some institutions stating that the Sierra Leone Police has subjected LAJ to inhumane treatments and has also refused him access to his family and legal team since his arrest on Sunday 12th June, 2022.
The IPCB therefore wishes to inform the interested institutions and the general public that it has commenced investigations into the said allegations, pursuance to section 3(1) (d & g) of the Independent Police Complaints Board Regulations, 2013, which provides for an investigation into “incidents of injuries, assault or wounding caused by a police officer” and “any matter or incident which it thinks the action or inaction of the police is likely to impact significantly on the confidence of the people in the police“ respectively. The IPCB will therefore keep the public fully informed of developments in the investigations as.
Riotous conduct…
