Why Minister Mamodu Tarawalie?

The suspended Minister of Education, Mamodu Tarawalie who was alleged to have had raped a 24 year old College student. Why has his issue become so prominent than any other alleged rape case/s in the country? Firstly, I will like to make one point clear, the Minister was not sacked as I was reading and hearing from many media outlets and individuals.

The Minister was suspended due to the alleged rape case against him as a government official. This system took place in both public and private sectors all around the world. Even in advanced countries, including Australia when a public or private official is accused of committing a criminal offence, his or her official duty will be taken from them until the outcome of the investigation.

In view of the using of the words “sacked Minister” I think it is not appropriate at this point in time, especially when the case is still in court. For the fact that President Koroma did not openly say he had sacked his Duty Minister of Education. If I can properly understand him he stated that he suspended Mr. Mamodu Tarawallie so that he would not interfere with the current ongoing investigation against him. In my view, it is possible for him to be reinstated or pay him off his benefit if he wins the case or be sacked if he loses the case.

I also want everybody to know that I am not a defender of the Suspended Minister of Education because this case is still in court. The only thing I am trying to accomplish is that I am trying to put the records straight as I have sympathy for them all, including the suspect and the complainant because they are my brother and sister and I am also a parent.

However, I have concerns in connection with the unpatriotic and hatred double standard behaviour of many Sierra Leoneans and secondly the manner in which the laws of the country sometimes are being enforced, especially when it comes to a matter of citizen issues. In my view, sometimes a crime that a citizen commits will lead them to prison, it is very hard to find a foreigner in prison when he or she commit the same or similar crime, anyone will agree or disagree with me on this view.

For example the way in which Mr. Mamodu Tarawallie’s rape issue gained attention in the country I have never seen any rape issue similar to that in my life. However, what I knew was that many poor rapists have been sent to prison several times and also other parents daughters rape cases were also been kept under carpet, if only my memory could serve me well.

But it was very hard to hear a lot of noise on how the suspended Minister’s alleged rape issue has now become the country’s National Anthem. Those being sent to prison for rape case offences and parents whose daughters alleged rape case files being kept in drawers because they were poor, one hardly hears about these issues. They were so poor that they could not afford to hire the services of lawyers or median men and women to defend them during their rape cases.

However, I have an alleged rape issue in mind that I’ve never knew its outcome up to now that I am trying to refresh your minds on it, perhaps you knew or know about its outcome. It was a rape issue that was alleged to have had involved in the loss of the life of the victim who was a very young pretty and promising girl. That alleged rape case involved a Lebanese national in Kenema that was alleged to be the perpetrator sometime in 2007 to 2008.

It was the alleged rape case of late Alima Kamara/sheriff a very beautiful bright skin daughter of poor parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sheriff. In my view, this case should have been one of the rape cases that would have had gained more publicity in the country in order to draw the attention of the authorities concerned and the world than any other rape issue has because it involved the loss of Alima’s life.

But who cares, because it involved a Lebanese businessman and a poor Sierra Leonean in my view. The poor Sierra Leonean who could not bribed to get his right. Please do not get me wrong; I am not saying that the Lebanese national was able to bribe the authorities in order to get his right or wrong at the time.

The fact is that not too much noise was made about that during the time because the parents involved were poor. That brings me to my next question; why Minister Mamodu Tarawallie alleged rape issue where the alleged victim was said to have had brushes in some part of her body only is being trumpeted all over the country and beyond. Is it because it is a brother and sister issue? That I mean Sierra Leonean to Sierra Leonean case is that why all the noise is about? Or it is because the accused person is a politician and not a businessman?

Where were the Sierra Leone lawyers, especially the female lawyers and female journalists or writers that should have been making lots of noise over Alima’s rape death issue to defend the late young girl that met her untimely death in the hands of alleged Lebanese rapist? Poor innocent Alima who they said the Lebanese businessman treated her like beast before raping her. In fact according to information; she lost her precious life during the process.

Where were the so-called ‘human rights organizations’ that I currently hear shouting in the case of two Sierra Leoneans, brother and sister’s issue? Where were they when our young sister/daughter lost her life in the hands of an alleged Lebanese national that raped her to dead?

Is it now that they know that raping a woman is a criminal offence all over the world because it involved two citizens in the country, especially with a politician?

If only, the accused Lebanese national was arrested and sent to prison, how many hours, days, weeks or months was he in prison for such an alleged criminal act? Stop the unpatriotic attitudes, hatred and double standard behaviour in the country.

WHEN GOD SAYS YES, WHO WILL SAY NO?

By Tony Bee, Sydney, Australia

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