“ ALLEGED LAWLESSNESS AND IMPUNITY BY THE SIERRA LEONE MILITARY AT COCKLE BAY ( GRAMMAR SCHOOL JUNCTION).
I write as a Member and former Vice-President (2) of the Krio Descendants Yunion of Sierra Leone.
The Pictures you see below are the remains of the Krio Descendants Yunion ( hereinafter referred to as “KDY”) building site otherwise known as “KRIO OSE” located at cockle-bay grammar school junction.
This building site was leased to the “KDY” by the Freetown City Council and construction was ongoing to build an Administrative Building for the KDY and a Museum where Krio heritage will be displayed and also to serve as a meeting place for Krio’s both home and abroad.
The building is located next to the Military Barracks at Cockle-Bay Murray-Town.
It is alleged that around 3am on Saturday Morning Military Personnel from the Barracks nearby embarked on wilful, deliberate wanton destruction of the Fence, Gate and Pillars erected within the KDY site causing losses of over NLE 700,000 or Le 700,000,000 ( seven hundred million leones) without any lawful authority to do so and more importantly without a “COURT ORDER “ empowering them to do so.
The Military has been laying claims to the said lands which has been disputed by the Freetown City Council who are the Lessors and this matter has never been taken to Court.
Instead of following the Law the Military has decided that “MIGHT IS RIGHT“.
Section 21 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No.6 of 1991 guarantees protection from deprivation of Property and Section 132(1) of the same Constitution gives jurisdiction to determine all such matters to the High Court of Sierra Leone in all such matters.
As a Yunion we will definitely take the appropriate legal steps to address this matter.
When I was Ombudsman of Sierra Leone (2018-2022), I had tremendous respect for the military in terms of how they responded to complaints and their compliance rate. I said so then both in my private correspondences with them and in my public engagements with the Media.
However, what we are witnessing today is unbelievable, alarming and dangerous for all of us as citizens.
Recently we all heard about incidents relating to Services Secondary School and its environs and also destruction at “BIG WATER “ alleged to have been led by Military personnel.
We hope and pray this is not a pattern developing here!
I call on the MILITARY, THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL SECURITY and THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE to look into these allegations as a matter of extreme urgency as this relates to the very EXISTENCE of the KRIOS OF SIERRA LEONE as an ETHNIC GROUP.
This is unlawful, reckless and unfair.
The perpetrators must face justice both CRIMINAL and CIVIL!!!!
L Jenkins-Johnston Esq
Member and Former Vice President (2)
KRIO DESCENDANTS Yunion
SIERRA LEONE.
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