Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone set for Police brutality probe

The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone announced over the weekend that they are ready to carry out an inquiry into the mucky systemic violations of human rights in the country.

The spate of sporadic killings picturing serving members of the Sierra Leone Police Force, taking into consideration of the African Minerals Limited (AML) workers demand of salary increment protest where a woman was shot dead, and the shooting at bay of bike riders, are subject for the HRC probity, says HRC’s Communications Officer Henry Mustapha Sheku.

He said the commission has taken a critical look into the systemic violation of human rights by certain institution of trusts spanning the high rate at which gross professional human right neglects are being directed against unarmed civilians by the Sierra Leone Police Force.

“This professional neglect of the police over the right to life, free speech, association, and property, contradicts the declaration charter of the Human Rights conventional laws as well as the dictates of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone”, says Mr. Sheku.

On the other hand, while he described AML’s new salary increase as a move well taken, he maintained that it will not cow the commission’s action to submission in articulating the values entrenched by the laws of the land.

Henry Sheku maintained that the inquiry will also look into key issues such as workers marginalization based on creed, race, and beliefs which many workers of Africa Minerals Limited have been complaining in the past.

He said a total of 36 witnesses have volunteered to give testimonies to the inquiry court, pointing out that the commission is open to any volunteer to either testify in the open or behind closed doors; adding that though they are currently constrained by the shortage of commissioners, however, he said that would not derail the process as the available commissioners are still eligible to request to form a quorum.

 Henry Sheku furthered that the commission has appointed Barrister Abu Kanu who doubles as Legal Consultant and a practicing lawyer, to provide legal aid, which also settles the quorum to three; giving them the powers to act.

Mr. Sheku said at the end of the trial, the commission will come out with findings and recommendations to the government that will serve as correctional measures to prevent such incidences of neglect from further occurring.

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