By Saio Marrah
A postmortem document produced by the Office of Births and Deaths says 18-year-old Mohamed Kamara of 10 Government Wharf in Freetown died from a gunshot wound to the head.
The cause of death certificate seen by Politico on Saturday 1st July 2023 further indicated that the death was as a result of “acute hemorrhagic shock” and that “it was as a result of multiple skull fractures with extrusion or brain substance.”
The certificate published on 19th June 2023 signed by pathologist Dr. Simeon Owizz Koroma showed that the death occurred on 13th June 2023.
The Forum of Sierra Leonean Youth Network (FoSLYN) had on the 19th June 2023 indicated in the press release of their investigations and engagements with the victim’s family and friends, which revealed that on Tuesday 13 of June 2023 at Government Wharf, two youths around the age of 18, were shot dead whilst trying to swim to safety, after heavy firing scared them away from their homes and businesses.
“Mr. Thaimu Kamara, elder brother of one of the deceased, Mohamed Kamara, commonly called ‘cook soup’, a Yogurt seller, told us that the killings were done by security forces, especially men and women of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), who were dressed in Military regalia with face masks affixed on their faces,” the press release indicates.
It also disclosed that the deceased’s elder brother told FoSLYN Program Manager(s) that he witnessed RSLAF officers in masks shoot at his brother and the other deceased, as the Sierra Leone Police armed wing officers (OSD) fired teargas canisters, destroyed houses, and business places in the slum community.
A family member of deceased Kamara, who chose to be anonymous, said they had buried his remains at Kissy Road Cemetery.
According to the release, the deceased’s father was asked to pay the autopsy bill, but he couldn’t afford it.
FoSLYN called on security personnel to desist from discharging firearms against harmless civilians and to only use proportionate force in respect of the circumstance.
It also called on the Office of the National Security (ONS) to caution security personnel on the use of lethal weapons against unarmed Sierra Leoneans and that they observe the basic rules of engagement.
However, the communication unit of RSLAF had told Politico that their preliminary investigation indicated that no deaths occurred during the incident.
A community stakeholder, who also wanted not to be named, said they were unable to conduct a postmortem on the other deceased whose identity was not made available to Politico.
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