Amidst several controversies about the governance activities of the ruling government, speculations and counter-speculations have been emboldened, accompanied by mixed feelings about the actual reality of the attempted prison break. Concerns have been raised by civil society organizations, opposition parties, media practitioners, and many other concerned individuals. After examining all the concerns raised, this media outlet instituted an investigation into the real issues that might have led to the attempted prison break. While investigating, our editorial team was able to review reports from the Sierra Leone correctional services, civil societies, union groups, and a confidential report from the Sierra Leone Police addressed specifically to the Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is a country that practices constitutional democracy, a democracy in which fundamental human rights are well defined and provided for in its national constitution, with the sole intent and purpose of respecting its international treaty obligations in conformity with standard practices. The leaked report is a full forty-eight-page document, with sixteen chapters designed with a methodology. The report outlines the sequence used to investigate and gather all the information captured in it. It categorically mentions and attributes responsibilities to those suspected of being involved in the planning and execution of the attempted prison break. The actual numbers of those killed and injured, both inmates and officers, far outweigh the figures included in the report from the Sierra Leone Correctional Service. This report sent to the Vice President was accompanied by a two-page cover letter that explicitly stated in the second paragraph that the report is confidential and not for public consumption, but rather for the Vice President to examine and take action against those involved and to issue directives regarding security issues since he is the constitutional head of internal security, being the head of the security council, which comprises the police, military, and other assigned security institutions. On page thirty-six of the report, the Sierra Leone police insert a diagram showing the statistical numbers of victims involved, those murdered, and those injured. The report states that two hundred and seventy inmates were killed, eighty-four were permanently deformed due to injuries, and ninety-six sustained serious injuries without deformation. On page twenty-six of the report, the Sierra Leone police clearly define this when they state, quote, ‘the statistical number of the victims (killed and injured) stated by the Sierra Leone Correctional Service is incorrect and doesn’t reflect the actual reality of those victims involved. Therefore, the figures must be discounted, and an actual investigation must be conducted based on this report.’ With this quote, it is evident that the report from the Sierra Leone Correctional Services is misleading and therefore undermines human rights principles and entitlements.
Sadly, what is most interesting and worrisome is why they have to investigate human rights issues of such high magnitude, decide to keep it secret and provide a bit of advice to the vice president to take action. This report seems to be an ambush report aimed at portraying political sentiment against a few individuals and covering up the actual numbers of those killed and injured. In furtherance of our investigation, our team was able to conduct thorough research to determine the appropriate figures of those killed and injured that reflect the reality of the incident. As evidence was revealed, the team discovered that there are huge discrepancies in the statistical figures given by the Sierra Leone Police and the Sierra Leone Correctional Service, the government institutions meant to represent authenticity. Our findings reveal that the total number of deaths is three hundred and fifty-eight, with one hundred and thirty-seven injured. These figures are far above those from the Sierra Leone Police and the Sierra Leone Correctional Service. Our team also discovered that the allegations attributed to government authorities and political leaders mostly concern targeting political inmates who were imprisoned and detained, for the sole purpose of eliminating a few and escaping with others to satisfy political motives based on tribe, region, partisanship, and secret society groups. The leaked report in our possession shows an absolute plan to deceive the vice president and many institutions within the government into believing that many casualties did not occur and that there are individuals responsible for the atrocities. This was not the case; what is clear is that the government is allegedly involved in the planning and execution of the atrocities to manually kill political inmates, especially the former Minister of Defense and Internal Affairs, RTR Major Paulo Conteh, who was standing trial for treason. Those named in the secret report include Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Lahai Lawrence Leema; Sierra Leone People’s Party Women Leader, Fatmata Sawaneh; Head of Presidential Guards; SLPP Thug Leader; and a few others.
As we continue to examine the report, we will publish the content of each page in its entirety for a proper understanding of its purposes and the intentions behind its formation, as well as its address to the vice president. Investigation continues.
