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In case No. ECW/CCJ/APP/36/22, the Sierra Leone Rights Violation Case stemming from the Makeni Generator Protest of July 2020, eight survivors and relatives of deceased victims have joined forces with the Institute of Human Rights and Development in Africa (HIRDA) to pursue justice at the ECOWAS Court.
The case has been ongoing since August 9, 2022, and the ECOWAS Court of Justice is scheduled to render its judgment on January 25, 2024.
The case, filed by Hassan Kargbo and seven others against the Republic of Sierra Leone, centers on seeking justice for shootings that occurred during the protests. Despite the suit, Sierra Leone failed to present a defense, prompting a request for default judgment in March 2023.
The allegations involve violations of the right to life, security of the person, and the right to remedy, arising from the Makeni protests on July 17 and 18, 2020, triggered by the removal of an electricity generator. It is claimed that law enforcement personnel fired upon unarmed civilians, resulting in fatalities and injuries.
Counsel Fagbemi has argued that these actions contravene international human rights law, supported by legal precedents and ECOWAS Court jurisprudence. He has underscored the urgency of securing justice for the plaintiffs and highlighting the severe consequences they endured.
The forthcoming judgment in January 2024 represents a pivotal moment in this ongoing case.
