Sierra Leone News: Govt Takes Disciplinary Action against Presidential Guard
By Stephen V. Lansana
The Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swaray has said on Thursday October 24, 2019, that the government of Sierra Leone has removed and restrained presidential bodyguard who was accused of beating up two female Journalists Francess Bernard and Esther Marie Samura.
It could be recalled that the two female sport journalists were allegedly beaten up by presidential bodyguard during the FIFA World Cup 2022 preliminary return-leg match between Leone Stars and Lone Star of Liberia at the National Stadium on Sunday September 8, 2019. The two female sports journalists were reportedly in the commentary booth at the far end of the presidential stand doing their work when the said bodyguards ordered them and their colleagues to vacate the booth “as they posed a security threat to the President”.
The Ministry of Information and Communications on Thursday 17 October 17, 2019, received the report from the Investigation Committee instituted by the Ministry to investigate alleged beating of two female journalists by security personnel of the Joint Presidential Guard Force.
The Investigative committee which was constituted by the government to look into the beating of two female Journalists presented it findings and 13 recommendations. The Committee comprises two representatives from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL), Sierra Leone Reporters Union (SLRU), Sierra Leone Broadcasting Cooperation (SLBC), Center for Accountability and Rule of Law — Sierra Leone (CARL-SL), Human Rights Commission Sierra Leone (HRCSL), JPGF and Sport Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL).
The committee recommended the following: the alleged perpetrator who was positively identified during the incidents should be removed from JPGF with immediate effect and appropriate disciplinary action be taken against him; that a public apology should be made for the unprofessional conduct by certain personnel of JPGF, and the State should facilitate other medical attention needed by the female journalists and other victims which they identified during their investigation, among others.
In the government’s response to the investigation report, Minister Swaray notes the following: a) that the Government of Sierra Leone will refund supported expenses already incurred on treatment of victims of the incident at the stadium; b) that the state facilitates and finances further medical attention needed by the female journalists and the other Identified victims; can only be predicated on a certified medical report; c) that necessary administrative action has been taken against the officer of the Joint Presidential Guard Force proven to have inflicted the grievous bodily harm on the female journalists; government will pay for all claims for damages incurred by victims as contained in the report. He emphasized that the perpetrator has been removed and retrained.
In view of the aforementioned, Hon. Swaray assured all media practitioners and citizens of government’s continued support and commitment to media freedom and protecting, and preserving the rights of all Sierra Leoneans.
