By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
In response to a press statement by the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) condemning an alleged attack on a journalist in Kono by the Coalition for Change (C4C) Party leader in Parliament, Member of Parliament Sahr Emerson Lamina, the MP has denied the allegation, saying that media body did not get the story right.
In the SLAJ release issued on the 13th of September 2022, it noted to have received a complaint from the Management of Citizen Radio 107.5 FM in Kono District, Eastern Sierra Leone, of an alleged attack and disruption by the MP of a live paid for programme on Saturday, 3rd September 2022 at around 9:30 pm.
According to the management of Citizen Radio, the said programme was paid for by the C4C National and District Executives. It stated that during the programme one of the panelists, Sahr Nyama mentioned the name of the C4C leader while explaining recent developments in their party about the recent court withdrawal matter that he said has brought unity among them.
The moderator of the programme who is also the Radio Station Manager, Ibrahim Tamba Fanday in ensuring fairness and balance reportedly contacted MP Lamina to respond to allegations being made by the panelists.
He said even though it was a C4C programme, he allowed Lamina to respond for over 20 minutes via mobile phone. He pointed out that Lamina’s phone went off in the course of his response to the claims made in the studio,and they continued with the discussion programme.
“Moments later, MP Lamina and his team of young men stormed the radio station and stopped the programme. He demanded that I should give him more time to respond inside the studio,” Fanday explained.
He said there was chaos in the studio upon the arrival of Lamina and his team, and they had to call the police and the military to rescue him, the panelists and radio staff.
“I am scared of our fate as we approach the public elections in June 2023,” he said.
SLAJ President, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla while condemning the alleged attack on Citizen Radio, also called on the local authorities to protect journalists and their media houses in Kono district from intimidation, threats, and attacks by politicians and members of the public that feel aggrieved about their work.
He said the incident was very unfortunate, especially so when it involved a Member of Parliament who he said understands the role of the media in democracy.
“I believe the young and promising MP will be bold enough to condemn his own actions and apologize to the media house and its management,” said Nasralla.
The SLAJ President urged Emerson Lamina to join hands with the other 8 MPs from Kono to assure the journalists in the district of their safety and security at all times.
Lamina on his part confirmed that he went to the studio for an opportunity to reply after the moderator cut the call when he was making his point. He said it was during the course of waiting outside that some community members identified an alleged murderer who has been in hiding for the past six months and tried arresting him for the attention of the police.
MP Lamina noted that he is one of the Parliamentarians that believe in press freedom and have always defended the rights of journalists in parliament and so he could not assault or abuse the rights of any journalists no matter the provocation.
“SLAJ did not get the story right. I am calling on SLAJ to retract the statement because they failed to get my side of the story and I consider the allegations in their statement as defamation against my person,” he said adding that should the association fail to retract the story, he will consider legal action.
SLAJ primarily aims at promoting freedom of expression and of the press. It also seeks the welfare and protection of its membership.
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