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The Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association (SLMDA) has strongly condemned the circulation and publication of graphic photographs depicting the body of late Dr. Adrian Hanciles following his death.
Dr. Hanciles was reported missing on September 3, 2026. On September 9, after the SLMDA issued an official missing-person notice, photographs of his deceased body began circulating on social media and appearing across media platforms.
In a press statement issued on September 10, 2026, the SLMDA expressed outrage over the publication and sharing of the images, describing the act as unethical, highly disrespectful and a grave violation of the deceased’s dignity and his family’s privacy.
The association acknowledged the public’s legitimate interest in receiving information about Dr. Hanciles’ death but stressed that there was no justification for publishing or circulating photographs of his body.
The SLMDA called on the Sierra Leone Police to take appropriate legal action against individuals involved in the unauthorised capture, publication and dissemination of the images.
The association also urged members of the public to refrain from sharing, reposting or forwarding the photographs, warning that doing so could cause further distress to Dr. Hanciles’ grieving family.
In addition, the SLMDA called on anyone who has already posted or shared the photographs to remove them immediately.
The association concluded by recognising Dr. Hanciles’ dedicated service to Sierra Leone as a medical doctor and reaffirmed its support for his family, colleagues and the wider medical community during the period of mourning.
