MEDIA FREEDOM REVIEW – APRIL 2024

MEDIA FREEDOM REVIEW- APRIL 2024

The monthly ‘Media Freedom Review’ is a publication of the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) produced from the monitoring and reporting on freedom of expression and of the press, internet freedom, digital and online rights, and safety and security of journalists in Sierra Leone.

In April 2024, MRCG monitored the invitation and detention of a journalist in Kenema. It also followed up on various issues, including the attack on the office and staff of a radio in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone, the online ‘death threat’ against a journalist, assault on a journalist, alleged destruction of property of a journalist in Freetown while on duty, alleged assault on a journalist in Moyamba district, alleged physical assault of two journalists, the matter of former Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) boss, the alleged physical assault on a journalist in Waterloo, the matter between a journalist and a magistrate in Pujehun and other media engagements.

Patrick Kai, a journalist working for Calabash newspaper, was on 16 April 2024 invited for questioning at the Kenema police division in relation to an alleged cybercrime committed against Eastern Technical University (ETU) Sierra Leone. The journalist denied the allegation and told MRCG that ETU accused him of being an administrator and informant of a Facebook page known as “Kenema Kotuku,” a page that had been critical of the institution. He was detained for four hours and released on bail pending investigation. ASP Detective Tamba David Alpha told MRCG that the journalist was invited to the cyber unit of the Police Division for an alleged cybercrime reported by the Registrar of ETU and confirmed that Patrick was released on the same day, but the matter was under police investigation.   

In a follow up on the attack on the office and staff of Hope FM 93.3 in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone, by a group of thugs reportedly sent by the landlord of the premises housing the radio in October 2023, Mr. Stanley Bangura, Proprietor of the radio told MRCG that after reaching an out-of-court settlement in February 2024, they were still yet to be compensated for the damages. He said they would leave the premises of Mr. Alie Benson Conteh (the landlord) housing the radio by the end of July 2024, adding that after reaching an out-of-court settlement in February 2024, they were still yet to be compensated for the damages.

There is still no new development on the alleged attack and assault of the Station Manager of Fountain of Peace Radio, Alie Tokowa in Moyamba District, whilst on duty on 28 March 2023. It was alleged that supporters of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) on the instruction of Mr. Joseph Gbogba, the former District Council Chairman at the SLPP’s party office in Moyamba District, Southern Region attacked Journalist Tokowa. Mr. Tokowa again maintained that since the State withdrew the matter from the police, no progress has been made. Local Unit Commander of police in Moyamba, ASP Franklyn Bawoh, told MRCG that the matter was with the State Counsel. As at the time of writing this report, the MRCG had made all effort to reach out to Ballah Sesay, the State Counsel in Moyamba, on the status of the matter, but there was no response.

On the case of journalist Osman Hardy Jalloh at the Human Rights Commission for Sierra Leone (HRCSL) concerning a complaint against Magistrate Joseph Toby of Pujehun Magistrate Court (formerly of Magistrate Court Number 2 in Kenema), Al Mansaray, the owner of TV-News24, in March 2023, had posted on his channel that he had filed a legal paper against the United States Government through the U.S. State Department for failing to take appropriate action when he alerted them about the abuse of power and unprofessional conduct of Magistrate Toby. The MRCG is still monitoring the matter.

On the matter of journalist Emmanuel C Thorli, Managing Editor of Night Watch Newspaper, who was arrested and detained at the CID in Freetown, allegedly for his news article titled ‘We Cannot Wait For Bio To Continue In Power Until 2028’, published on 21 February 2024, Mr. Thorli told MRCG that he had stopped reporting at the police station, as instructed by one of the officers in-charge of the matter.  But the matter is still under investigation.

On the matter of the BBC Correspondent in Sierra Leone, Umaru Fofana, who was attacked by supporters of the All Peoples Congress (APC) party during the party’s press conference at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown on 14 June 2023, Mr. Fofana again told MRCG that he had not received any update from the APC party on its said investigation since June 2023. The Secretary General of the APC, Lansana Dumbuya Esq., told MRCG that the matter was still under investigation.

On the matter between the Managing Editor of Night Watch Newspaper, Emmanuel C. Thorli and the staff of Njala University, Mr. Thorli told MRCG that he had reported the matter to the police, and the police at the Waterloo Police Division had taken his statements and that of his witnesses. The Acting Public Relations Officer for Njala University, Ayuba Koroma, still said the University had never received any police invitation regarding the matter, since it happened, but told MRCG that he was still convinced that they had settled the matter with the journalist. Police said the matter was still under investigation.

There has been no progress on the matter of the former Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Ady Macauley Esq., who was arrested and detained at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for expressing his legal opinion on AYV Television on the 1965 Public Order Act (POA in October 2022. He was released, but the matter is still at the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP). The Director of Operations at CID, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Dr. John Martin Senesie, told MRCG that the investigation was still on hold.

On the alleged destruction of journalist Ibrahim Alusine Kamara’s car, Editor of Salone Compass Newspaper, during a press conference at the APC Headquarters on 25 June 2023, he told MRCG that he had not yet received any update from Independent Police Complaint Board (IPCB) on the matter. The investigating officer at IPCB, Hawalyn Kamara, again told MRCG that a joint force ‘wearing balaclava’ was deployed the day the incident occurred and therefore their investigation into the matter had stalled due to lack of identification of the exact security officials that assaulted the journalist. The journalist told MRCG that his next line of action was to soon, through his lawyers, take the leadership of both the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) to court.

On the online ‘death threat’ against Musa S. Kamara, a journalist working for radio Democracy 98.1 FM, the matter was still under police investigation. Musa still maintained that he was yet to hear from the police regarding their investigations. Police said they were still investigating the matter

There has been no progress on the matter of Alimamy N’Jai Sesay, who was charged with five counts of various offences in the Cyber Security and Crime Act No. 7 of 2021 for sharing Abdul Will Kamara, alias Adebayor’s audios on social media, and the matter is still at the High Court for trial with the accused still in remand. There had been one bail application when the matter initially commenced at the magistrate court, which was denied, and no bail application since it was committed to the High Court. The matter came up on 7 and 14 March 2024, but the accused was not present in the court on both days. The court Clerk, Felix Will, told MRCG that the accused might have been part of the detainees and prisoners who escaped during the November 26 ‘failed attempted coup’ and had not turned himself in. He continued that the court is yet to schedule a hearing date because the Justice in change of the matter was not in town.

The Independent Media Commission (IMC), in a notice dated 16 April, 2024, notified all media owners who had not renewed their licenses to do so on or before 30 April 2024, which was stated as the deadline. The Commission further warned that effective 1 May 2024, media institutions that failed to renew their licenses, registrations or reregistration in compliance with IMC Act, 2020, would suffer indefinite suspension or cancellation of their licenses or registrations in compliance with Section 42 of the IMC Act, 2020.

The MRCG and the National Fund for Public Interest Media (NaFPIM), with support from the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) on 24 April 2024, convened an engagement with key institutions including diplomatic missions in Sierra Leone on the operations of NaFPIM since its launch in June 2023.

The details of the cases and issues will be published in the MRCG Bi-Annual Press Freedom Report for December 2023 to May 2024.

The MRCG’s freedom of expression and of the press, internet freedom, digital and online rights, and safety and security of journalists in Sierra Leone initiative is funded by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in the United States of America. The MRCG seeks to strengthen democratic dialogue and accountability, consolidate peace and ensure development through professional, independent and sustainable media, based on the right to freedom of expression and of the press.