S. Leone: Police man-hunt two journalists

  1. Posted on Sunday 17 May 2009 - 17:56
    Murtala
    Image of Murtala
    Murtala Mohamed Kamara, AfricaNews reporter in Freetown, Sierra Leone
    The Sierra Leone Police have announced that they are looking for two Sierra Leonean journalists for allegedly libeling against the country's President in a recent article published in the Awareness Times newspaper.
    Sylvia Olayinka Blyden
    Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden - Sierra Leone's only female publisher and managing editor of the Awareness Times and her acting editor Abdul Karim Kabia - are both wanted for publishing an article on Tuesday, May 12th with a front page Banner “After False Portrayal as First Lady President Sweet Heart in Kailahun Mess,” a press statement said. The police have described the article as libelous against the president.

    The police said all efforts to get both journalists have proven fruitless and therefore “a Warrant of Arrest CID H/Q No. 69/09 is now in force for the arrest of Sylvia Olayinka Blyden and Abdul Karim Kabia. The police and the general public are herby informed, that if any of them is seen should be arrested and immediately forwarded to the CID Headquarters or the nearest Police.”

    Several journalists have come under attack for various reasons during the last one year in Sierra Leone. Less than a week ago, the editor for The New People newspaper Umaru Sita Turay was beaten at his office and stabbed by an alleged photographer attached to the President office. Turay is in hiding for ‘fear of his life.’

    Turay who spoke to AfricaNews from his hiding spot has expressed fear for his family that he left behind. He said he has been receiving calls from unidentified men threatening to kill him once he is located. According to Turay, the ‘lack of justice’ is responsible for what journalists are going through in recent times. “People beat up journalists with impunity and the rule of law does not prevail,” he added.

    As the editor of The New People, Turay said he does not intend to run away from his country. “I want to resume my work in an atmosphere of peace without the fear of brutality. The war years are far gone, Sierra Leone is now a civilized nation and we must be seen as such.”

    Fayia Musa Amara, a journalist working for The Standard Times newspaper was allegedly beaten and tied by SLP officers in the Eastern District of Kenema while he was taking pictures of them smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol.

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