Sierra Leone Judiciary Issues Disclaimer on Video Deemed as Fake

The Judiciary of Sierra Leone has in a Press Release dated 11^th May, 2023 disclaimed a fake video purporting to be one of their judges.

The Judiciary strictly warned the general public to desist from sharing anything related to the matter, be it video or audio henceforth, adding that they will take stringent and appropriate actions against anyone found doing the contrary.

They called on the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) to swiftly investigate the matter for further actions.

Read Press Release below:

“FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, 11th May, 2023: The Judiciary of Sierra Leone hereby informs the general public that it has received with great disappointment and consternation a social media video supported by an audio commentary making rounds on social media. The faceless commentator suggests that it was one of our Judges watching pornography in the Court room during Court session.

The circulation of the video by the faceless person doesn’t only contravene various provisions in the Cyber Security and Crime Act of 2021, but a calculated attempt to bully a Judge contrary to Section 44 (1) (a) (b) of the Cyber Security and Crime Act of 2021, which are criminal offences under the laws of Sierra Leone and even internationally.

Those miscreants are bent on executing a campaign of calumny aimed at destroying the reputation of the Judiciary and our revered Benchers that are working so hard to give their dedicated service to national development.

The video itself is from Ogun State, South Western part of Nigeria and the person with the black robe is not a Judge but a Lawyer who is occupying the Bar seat reserved for Lawyers.

Not only do we strongly condemn in the strongest terms this ill-motivated act aimed at dwindling the sanctity of the Court and the entire Judiciary as an independent arm of government, we shall lodge an official report with the Sierra Leone Police, in order to investigate and bring perpetrators who continue to share such videos online, to face the full penalty of the law.

We warn the general public to desist forthwith from sharing this audio and similar audios and videos aimed at bringing the Judiciary and the administration of justice into disrepute and contempt, as such conduct constitutes criminal offences under the Cyber Security and Crimes Act 2021. We would take stringent and appropriate action against anyone found to be in contravention of the aforementioned statutes which equally amounts to contempt of Court”