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Embattled hip-hop rapper, Alhaji Amadu Bah popularly known as LAJ whose lyrics are critical of the system, especially for failing to deliver on key manifesto promises made to the youths in the 2018 election campaign, has in a song called on his fans and the nation not to cry for him if he dies but to take his song and multiply it.
LAJ, who says he could die soon, and some members of his crew were arrested for yet undisclosed offense(s) on Sunday, 12th June, 2022 while heading for Conakry to support the Sierra Leone National Team, Leone Stars for their recent AFCON qualifiers encounter against Guinea Bissau.
He and his crew have been in detention, first at CID headquarters in Freetown, and later at the notorious OSD headquarters in Brookfields named Benghazi. His brother, Ishmael Bah alleged that over ten police officers at around 2am manhandled and injected him with three syringes of red liquid and cut of his dreadlock, where according to him, they said, his power lies, allegedly on orders from above.
LAJ’s father corroborated that his son who refers to himself the voice of the voiceless is in detention at Benghazi and several attempts by him and a human rights lawyer to contact him in detention proved futile.
He fears that his son would be dead.
Human Rights lawyer and advocate, Lawyer Basita Michael posted that “Depriving a suspect who has not been charged of his right to legal representation, detaining a suspect since June 12-at least 6 days without charge, admitting to cutting off the dreadlocks of a suspect who has not even been charged – are all indications that the Sierra Leone Police has no regard for human rights of the people of the Sierra Leone, our constitution and international human rights obligations. I fear this will continue until we have a strong judiciary that will stand and protect the rights of citizens.”
The Sierra Leone Bar Association also is condemnatory of the alleged torture and degrading treatment of LAJ.
