MEDIA FREEDOM REVIEW – AUGUST 2024

MEDIA FREEDOM REVIEW-AUGUST 2024

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

In August 2024, MRCG monitored the dismissal and harassment of a journalist in Makeni, Northern Sierra Leone. It also followed up on the physical assault of a journalist in Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone, the verbal threat against a freelance journalist in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone, the invitation and detention of a journalist in Kenema, the attack on the office and staff of a radio in Makeni, the assault on a journalist, alleged destruction of property of a journalist in Freetown while on duty, alleged assault on a journalist in Moyamba District, 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, information request to the Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC)  and other media engagements.

Umu Thoronka, a journalist working for the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) in Makeni, was dismissed from work and allegedly attacked and harassed on social media regarding a TikTok video she posted about a contribution of a lady at the Presidential Town Hall Meeting in Freetown on 23 July 2024. The journalist told MRCG that she received a phone call from her Station Manager, Sinneh Thoronka, who informed her that she had been dismissed due to her social media post on the Presidential Town hall. In a press release dated 12 August 2024, Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL)  condemned the summary dismissal of the journalist and the subsequent threats to her life. The release further stated that the dismissal occurred without any prior warning letter, discussion or written explanation, contrary to the provisions of the Employee Act of 2023, which mandate a fair and transparent termination process. The SLBC, in a press release dated 20 August 2024, stated that the journalist was not a reporter for SLBC Makeni, noting that she initially worked as a freelance contractor for SLBC in 2015 for a three-month period, followed by a subsequent contract that extended until 2018 when she ceased serving the Corporation. The release further stated that Ms Thoronka flouted the SLBC’s policies by taking SLBC footage without permission, unduly utilising SLBC-branded content on her personal social media platforms, and running commentary on the SLBC-branded content, bringing the institution’s name into disrepute.

On the matter of Munya Bawoh, a journalist working for All Out Radio 90.1 FM in Kenema, who was allegedly attacked and assaulted on 7 June 2024 by some police officers in Kenema while investigating a story at the Kenema East Police Station, the journalist told MRCG that he had made the withdrawal statement and the matter has been resolved. The Regional Coordinator for Complaint Discipline and Internal Investigations Department (CDIID), Osman Sesay in Kenema, confirmed that the matter had been resolved.  

On the matter of Alie Badara, a freelance journalist in Bo, who allegedly received verbal assaults and threatening remarks in May 2024 through a phone call from an unknown individual for a Facebook post he had done on the excesses of the police in their fight against the drug called “Kush” and other illegal substances in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone, the journalist told MRCG that since he reported the matter to the police and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), there had been no further progress from the police and the ACC on the matter. Moses Tommy Ganda, the police officer attached to the Cyber Unit at the Bo East Police Division, said they were still investigating the matter. ACC’s investigation Officer in Bo, Joseph Noah, told MRCG that the commission had investigated the matter and referred it to the Inspector General of Police for his intervention.

On the matter of Patrick Kai, a journalist working for Calabash newspaper, who was invited for questioning on 16 April 2024 at the Kenema police division about an alleged cybercrime committed against Eastern Technical University (ETU), the journalist told MRCG that he had stopped reporting at the police station, but the matter was still under investigation. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Detective Tamba David Alpha confirmed that the matter was still being investigated but that the journalist had been directed to cease reporting at the police station.

Concerning 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, there had been no further progress regarding payment of compensation to the radio station. Stanley Bangura, the radio’s proprietor, said since they left the landlord’s premises and moved to a new building, they have yet to hear from the landlord regarding compensation for the damage caused during the incident. The Landlord is based in the USA, and at the time of writing this report, the MRCG could not get his side.

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 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, Southern Sierra Leone, attacked journalist Tokowa while on duty. Mr. Tokowa still maintains that he has yet to receive any positive response from some of the human rights organisations to help him take legal action against his attackers. As part of his next step on the matter, he was still planning to file a formal complaint at the Human Rights Commission in September 2024. The Local Unit Commander of Police in Moyamba, ASP Franklyn Bawoh, told MRCG that the matter was still with the State Counsel.

On the case of journalist Osman Hardy Jalloh at the 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. States Department for failing to take appropriate action when he alerted them about the abuse of power and unprofessional conduct of Magistrate Toby. The Deputy Director of Regional Service of the Human Rights Commission (HRCSL) East, Vandi Saidu, said the chief complainant, Al Mansaray, owner of TV-News 24, has not responded to the Commission’s email containing the incident summary form sent to him. As such, the Commission cannot take any further action on the matter without the cooperation of the complainant. The Chief complainant, Al Mansaray, has refused to respond to the MRCG regarding the matter. The MRCG is still monitoring the matter.

On the matter of 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, police said the matter had been kept in view.  On his other matter with the staff of Njala University, there has been no progress on the issue and the journalist was yet to take further steps, which he had earlier promised, to bring his attackers to book. Police said the matter had also been kept in view.

There is still no progress on the case of the former Anti-Corruption Commissioner, Ady Macauley Esq., who was arrested and detained at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in October 2022 for expressing his legal opinion on AYV Television on the 1965 Public Order Act (POA). He has been released, but the matter is still at the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

Concerning the alleged destruction of the car Ibrahim Alusine Kamara, the Editor of Salone Compass Newspaper, during a press conference at the APC Headquarters on 25 June 2023, there has been no progress by the Independent Police Complaint Board (IPCB) and the journalist’s legal team on the matter. The journalist maintained that his lawyers were yet to complete the necessary documentation to take the leadership of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) to court. The Investigating Officer at IPCB, Hawalyn Kamara, again told MRCG that a joint force ‘wearing balaclava’ was deployed to the scene 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.

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. The matter is still at the High Court for trial, with the accused in remand. The matter had come up on 7 and 14 March 2024, but the accused was not in court on both days. The court was yet to schedule a hearing date on the matter.

In a follow-up on the arrest warrant for journalist Justice Boima, CEO of Justice FM and TV, for alleged offences relating to cyberstalking and bullying, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Amos Lansana, an officer attached to the Cybercrime Unit at the CID Headquarters and in charge of the matter, maintained that the journalist had neither reported to the CID nor been arrested and that they were still searching for him to start their investigation of the matter.

The Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC) received six information requests. They included:

Eleanor Thompson, a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Sierra Leone, requested the RAIC to review the Corporate Affairs Directorate’s decision not to respond to her information request dated 5 August 2024.

Marrah and Associates, on 7 August 2024, requested the RAIC to review the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) ‘s decision to refuse to give certified copies of polling station results for centre code 16243 in Western Area Urban.

The Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy for Justice (ILRAJ), Budget Advocacy Network (BAN) and Citizen’s Barray, in different letters on 13, 23 and 28 August 2024 respectively, requested the RAIC to review the decision of the Secretary to the President and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice for their failures to comply with the information request made regarding the suspension of the Auditor General, Lara Taylor Pearce and her Deputy, Tamba Momoh.

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) with funding from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on 1 August 2024, completed a two-day workshop for 40 participants comprising journalists, bloggers, civil society activists, and legal practitioners on Cyber Law Reform in Sierra Leone at the Association’s Headquarters in Freetown. The workshop aimed to critically discuss and develop advocacy campaigns around Sierra Leone’s Cyber Security and Crime Act 2021.

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

The MRCG’s freedom of expression and 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 the press.