Sierra Leonean author, lawyer, and human rights activist, Joseph Kaifala has narrated how he tried to save the life of a young girl named, Maya who was involved in fatal road accident, and the ordeals him and his staff went through at the hands of the girl’s family and police officers at the CID, when they arrived at the scene.
Check out his explanation of the whole incident on his Twitter page below:
“I am presently covered in blood. Not my blood. I have avoided the sight of blood since the war. But when I suddenly found myself near the scene of an accident, I gathered every strength within me to push through a screaming crowd. I had noticed a young girl, who appeared dead under the vehicle, was still breathing. I told a few men to help lift the vehicle while we pulled her out. With this helpless soul in my hands I rushed down towards Kinghamman hospital until a motorcycle picked me up. When the nurses saw me and the girl’s condition they started to scream with sorrow. They couldn’t help. In that chaos, a nurse assisted me to hire a tricycle to take her to the hospital. She squeezed 40 leones in my hands. I spoke to the girl to keep her conscious (stuff I learned from watching shows like The Good Doctor and New Amsterdam). I don’t even know if it is scientifically accurate. It is December in Freetown, so no one wanted to give way to a honking tricycle, even when they could see a human being bleeding. A bike rider noticed and jumped ahead of us to make way. We made it to Connaught she is receiving medical care. And I might – faint from all the blood, so I stepped outside. I am sitting against a wall. I don’t want to photograph her in that condition. Hopefully she will recover and help me reach her family.
I had just given a presentation at the Peace Museum and was on my way home to join a panel as a discussant. But I sit here covered in blood and hoping a girl lives.
He later revealed that the girl’s name is Maya and she later passed away.
“Her name was Maya. It is all she could give me. And the hope in her eyes that I could help her survive – but my hands are all she got till the end.
Kaifala further explained that even though he tried to save Maya’s life, her family nearly killed him and his staff, accusing him of being responsible for her death.
“I TRIED TO SAVE MAYA’S LIFE. WHEN HER FAMILY ARRIVED THEY NEARLY KILLED ME AND MY STAFF.
They said I tried to save her life, and no stranger does that unless he was responsible for her accident.
When I read the story of the Good Samaritan, I thought his actions were natural.
After we were almost killed by the relatives of a girl we tried all we could to save her life, our vehicle destroyed, we got an even nastier treatment from the people charged with the responsibility to protect us.
I am traumatized! Tae now all this fiba bad dream! I don’t know how to feel! I don’t know how to feel! But as @Joseph would say ” never leave a dying human being you can help.””
“At the CID, Joseph was trying to explain our situation,when a police officer named AUGUSTINE KAMARA at the CID said to him “set yu ass! Befor shob foot inside dae! R nor dae talk to bastar Pekin” with so much aggression and anger. He continued with the aggressive insults which made the situation scarier. I felt unsafe and the need for evidence, which led me to bring out my phone, AUGUSTINE KAMARA now turned to me with even more aggression, he called me Raray gyal, grip me clothes, gave me slaps, dis man forcefully pull me glasses na me face ihn Mass and broke am with warm heart, he was still advancing when Joseph came and stood between us, he told him he won’t allow him assault me. This act by Joseph made AUGUSTINE KAMARA so angry he started slapping, punching, kicking and forcefully tried to handcuff Joseph, some of his colleagues including one of Maya’s relatives joined in the assault. My colleagues and I were helpless all we could do was cry.
This same police officer AUGUSTINE KAMARA who assaulted my boss and I also threatened my life inside CID. He looked right into my eyes and said ” na wae na ya, r for b don kill you”.
Then there is when CID Officer Augustine Kamara, a rather large person, tried to beat one of my female staff to death. When I made my body a shield, well, let’s just say I became a boxing bag.