The Sierra Leone Police in the Northeast region on Saturday 18th March 2023 handed over the sum of seventeen thousand, nine hundred and eighty-eight Leones (NLe 17,988) to the parents of the deceased child. 

The compensation came After one year, and six months since the 18-month-old girl child tragically died at the Panlap Police cell in Makeni while her mother was in detention

The donation was done at the regional headquarters on Mena hills in the office of the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police Mr. Sahr Yomba Senesi in the presence of the three other police personnel, the Local Police Partnership Board (LPPB) chairperson Mrs. Betty Alimamy Sesay K and three journalists.

Before handing over the money to the parents, AIG Senesi said “we’re here today on orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr. William Fayia Sellu to hand over the sum of Seventeen million, nine hundred and eighty-eight Leones (Le 17,988,000) to the parents of the late Hannah Kanu, a one- a year-six-month old child that died in a police cell at Panlap where her mother Kadiatu Koroma was detained pending investigation.”

This compensation he said is part of the option which the deceased child’s parents had chosen rather than the dismissal of the two police personnel namely Sergeant Baimba Sannoh (8415) and Police Constable Baindu Foday (18560) whose 12 months and 6 months salaries have been respectively diverted for the course of the payment of the compensation as was agreed at the tribunal court that presided over the matter.

On her part, the Local Police Partnership Board (LPPB) chairperson Mrs. Betty Alimamy Sesay re-echoed the AIG’s remarks, saying she is pleased to witness the handing over of the compensation to the parents of the deceased child after joining the media, the police and human rights activists to mediate the issue which was finally resolved by the Police tribunal amicably to the satisfaction of the complainants.

Following her statement, she enjoined the AIG and three other northeast regional personnel of Sierra Leone Police namely: Mr. Joseph Tamba Fallah (Finance Officer), Mr. Gabriel Oguladeh King (CDID Coordinator), and Mr. John Abass Kamara (Media Officer) for the symbolic handing over of the money to the family. On behalf of the bereaved family, the father of the late child Mr. Mohamed Kanu said they feel satisfied that finally, their months-long follow-up on the matter has paid off.

He recalled that as a family they’re saddened that their baby’s life was tragically lost over an allegation of a missing handbag being stolen by his wife that led to her controversial detention together with her suckling baby who tragically passed away on Thursday, 23rd December 2021, but admits that there is no need be for the sacking of the officers in question since nothing can bring back their baby or may be equal to the life lost.

Both culprits namely Sergeant Baimba Sannoh (8415) and Police Constable Baindu Foday (18560) were not available for comment and questions about how their salaries were being withheld to foot the compensation cost to the bereaved family when the Sierra Leone Police had.

previously announced their suspension. The question of whether the suspension was with salaries was not answered by both the northeast regional commander Mr. Senesi and Sergeant John Abass Kamara, the police spokesman.

However, it was not clear on the exact date when both officers were found guilty by the Police Tribunal and there has been no public apology from them yet but the police spokesman in the Northeast- region in an interview on Saturday over same promised that further actions of developments bordering both defaulting officers Sergeant Baimba Sannoh (8415) and Police Constable Baindu Foday (18560) will be communicated to the public by the Sierra Leone Police as and when necessary