On June 7th 2024, police officers assaulted and detained Munya Bawoh of All Out Radio 90.1 FM after accusing the journalist of illegally recording their interaction with some individuals at the Kenema Divisional police station in the Eastern Region of Sierra Leone.
The incident occurred when Bawoh, accompanied by his colleague, Jacob Ibrahim Sheriff, went to the police station in Kenama, to follow-up on a case that the two were reporting on.
According to news reports, Bawoh reported to the eastern regional office of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) in Kenema that the Crime Officer at the Kenema Divisional Police instructed the Custody Officer to detain him (Bawoh) after accusing him of filming their interaction with some visually impaired persons. Following the order, the police officer grabbed Bawoh’s phone and handed it over to the Crime Officer. Bawoh alleged that when he denied having carried out any recording and protested against the seizure of his phone, the divisional Crime Officer physically assaulted him. According to the journalist other police officers joined the Crime Officer in physically assaulting him, leading to the loss of his digital recorder and eyeglasses. The journalist says he was subsequently detained for over two hours. The police later released Bawoh to Executives of SLAJ, together with his seized phone.
Bawoh who sought medical treatment for his ordeal, formally lodged a complaint with the SLAJ Eastern Secretariat. The latter followed up on the matter and issued a statement on June 10, 2024, confirming the assault. Executives of the journalists’ union said they had interviewed the police and eyewitnesses, adding that the police admitted they kept the journalist in “open detention” following an argument between him and certain police officers.
Meanwhile, the national President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, has also deplored the police action and demanded redress.
“This is an unfortunate incident in light of the MoU with the security sector. We urge the leadership of the Sierra Leone Police to ensure their personnel across the country are fully aware of their commitment to ensure the safety and security of journalists in the line of duty. We believe the police will treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves and ensure the alleged perpetrators are accountable for their actions,” Said the SLAJ president.
The MFWA joins SLAJ in calling for a thorough investigation into the incident and bringing the perpetrators to book. The police authorities should remind the Service’s officers and men that even if they feel offended by the action of any journalists or any citizen for that matter, they have to use the law and not arbitrary force to arrest the offender. This includes situations where they suspect that they have been improperly recorded or filmed by journalists, especially during their official duties.
