The current health status of the Leader and Chairman of the Alliance Democratic Party, Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray, is something the Bio government needs to look into. Kamarainba has been in detention for fourteen months without being given bail, despite the effort by his legal team to seek bail for him.

The continuous refusal by the Sierra Leone Judiciary to grant bail to Kamarainba has further exacerbated his health condition.

Sources from the Pademba Prison disclosed to The Times SL Newspaper that Kamarainba almost lost his life on the night of Friday 3rd September 2021. The source revealed that if not for the timely intervention of the medical personnel at the Pademba Prison, Kamarainba could have been a dead man by now.

It is this incident that went viral, as people continue to spread rumours that he is dead. However, this news was debunked by the SLCS officials, as journalists enquired about his condition. What is clear is that Kamarainba Mansaray is seriously sick and desperately in need of medical attention, which he cannot get at the SLCS. It could be recalled that on several occasions, his legal team had applied for bail for their client to get medical attention.

On one occasion, Kamarainba is said to have collapsed in court and had to be rushed to the military hospital for medical attention and was admitted. It could also be recalled that a medical report on his health status was sought and produced in Court, signed by the country’s Medical professional, mandated by law to give his opinion on such matters, the Chief Medical Officer, but the judiciary refused to grant him bail, even when the constitution dictates that a man is presumed innocent until found guilty by a competent Court of Law (section 23 subsection 4 of the country’s 1991 constitution refers – presumption of innocence).

Despite all these provisions and all other humanitarian provisions for the detention of individuals, Kamarainba has still been kept in prison and treated like a convict.

President Bio is being admonished to engage the Chief Justice and all stakeholders in the legal profession over the issue, as in the event this man dies in prison, whilst still not found guilty of any crime, due to the refusal of the judiciary to grant him bail to seek proper medical attention, on  all the aforesaid bail applications made by his legal team, as well as the medical examination report signed by the Chief Medical Officer of the government, the government will be blamed and the Did sponsored judiciary will have to explain why it had deliberately refused to grant the man bail, even when it is abundantly clear that he needs serious medical attention.

Furthermore, the Human Rights of Kamarainba and all other suspects in police and Court custody will be in doubt, culminating in a considerable drop in the country’s Human Rights rating internationally. Government should be mindful of the negative impact this will get on its international image, as well as that of the President, who has been rebranding the country’s image in the international arena.