SLAJ remembers fallen Journalists and warns of Police brutality

By Zainab Kanu

Members of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) over the weekend conducted a vigil and a candle light at the association’s headquarters at 56 Campbell Street, Freetown.

Addressing colleagues, the President of the association, Mr. Umaru Fofana, said that over the years many Journalists have died natural deaths while others have met their untimely death in the hands of wicked people in authority.

He also expressed frustration that the law has not been effective in administrating justice and as a result the issues of most of their slain colleagues have not been addressed.

He said the memorial service was for them to not only remember those who have died, but to also remind them that some of the time they too can become targets while performing their duties.

He recalled that the cases of the late Harry Yansanneh of For Di People Newspaper and Ibrahim Foday of the Exclusive Newspaper have still not been satisfactorily dealt with in spite of all the efforts they have made to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He condemned the beating by the Police of the BBC Sports Reporter, Mr. Mohamed Faja Barrie, noting that even the official complaints which they wrote to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Francis Alieu Munu, has not been given the attention it deserves.

He appealed to his colleagues to impartially report the coming multi tier elections that will take place on November 17 this year.