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Sierra Leone compensates female journalists assaulted by presidential guards

  • Francess receiving her cheque from Minister Information Swaray

By Hajaratu Kalokoh

Two female journalists assaulted by members of the presidential guard have received compensation from the government of Sierra Leone to cover their medical bill and lost items.

Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, said during the handing over ceremony of the cheques to the women that the compensation was part of the recommendations of the committee that was set up to investigate the incident.

Esther Marie Samura and Francess Bernard Bundor were covering a football match at the National Stadium where President Julius Maada Bio was in attendance. The presidential guard reportedly attacked the girls in their line of providing security ahead of the arrival of President.

The incident provoked huge criticism, especially from media and human rights campaign groups, forcing the government to institute an investigation.

“Esther lost a hand bag, valued at Le 90,000. She lost $500, equivalent of Le5million. She lost her sandal, costing Le 200,000, make up kit valued at Le500, 000. She lost her iPhone – I’m told the most recent version, costing Le10, 000 million and she paid medical bill amounting to Le1, 855, 000. So Esther is receiving a total cheque value amount of Le17, 649, 000,” Minister Swaray said, noting that the action underlines the government’s commitment to preserving, protecting and respecting fundamental human rights.

The incident happened on September 8th 2019. Both journalists work for the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) as sports reporters.

Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), noted that the amount given to the victims might not commensurate with the trauma they went through as a result of the incident, but that the gesture by the government was exemplary.

“The cheque may not be enough compensation for the agony and trouble and the pain they went through throughout this period, but then it shows the commitment from the government and it’s one of the steps to remedy the situation,” he said at the ceremony.

“Our focus is to ensure that this does not happen again and that is why we are interested in one of the recommendations that the committee members have access to ensure that we facilitate dialogue with the security forces, the ONS, police so that we understand one another’s role in a democracy, so that we respect each other, so that this kind of incident will not occur in future,” Nasrrallah added.

Samura, in an interview with Politico, expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the investigation.

“We are glad about the outcome; for the fact that government set up a committee to look in to the matter, personally I am happy and I appreciate it. I received an amount of Le17, 645, 000. I have given the Le10, 000, 000 to Hilton John, a colleague journalist at Star TV because during the incident I was using his phone for commentary, which was damaged. I have Le7, 645, 000,” she said.

Francess Bundor couldn’t be reached for comment. But we understand that she received Le6, 800, 000 as refund of her medical bill.

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