SLAJ/SLPP Investigation Panel Begins Sitting in Freetown
Freetown – The panel set up to investigate the beating-up and manhandling of ten journalists in February this year, began sittings on Friday 26 November 2010 at the SLAJ Headquarters in Freetown.
Opening the SLAJ/SLPP Investigation Panel the Chairman, Barrister and Solicitor Ady Macauley said, “This investigation will show that democracy has matured in Sierra Leone. I am very happy that the Sierra Leone People’s Party is willing to be a part of the process because the Forth Estate has to be protected in carrying out its mandate’’. Mr Macauley said the panel would investigate the claims made by the journalists in a fair and transparent manner.
SLPP Director of Communication and a panel member, Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie said his party was non-violent and a respecter of human rights. “We totally condemn any form of violence and we are devoted to the investigations and will cooperate fully to protect the rights of others” he said, adding that they believed in the integrity and neutrality of the chairman of the panel.
SLAJ Acting National Secretary General, Ismael Koroma said even though the SLPP had apologised immediately following the incident in February, there was need for an investigation so as to bring people to account for their actions and to stop unnecessary attacks on journalists in their line of duty. He urged all the affected journalists to come forward and cooperate with the investigations so it would take the shortest possible time.
The journalists were allegedly beaten up and manhandled by overzealous plain clothes security operatives and members or supporters of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) during the party’s conference in Bo in southern Sierra Leone.
The panel is headed by Barrister and Solicitor Ady Macauley and two representatives each from SLAJ and the SLPP. The SLAJ Acting National Secretary General Ismael Koroma and Elias Bangura of For Di People newspaper are representing SLAJ while Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie and Alieu Kanu are representing the SLPP party.
The victim journalists were David Jabati (Editor of Exclusive Newspaper); Sulaiman Storm Koroma of Radio Democracy, Idrissa Sesay, Alimamy Lahai Kamara and Aruna P. Kamara all of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, Mohamed Kabbah and Bampia Bundu of Awareness Times Newspaper, Abdul Kamara of Star Radio, James Fillie of Eastern Radio and Ishmael Bayoh formerly of Awoko Newspaper.
SLAJ, Freetown
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