Makeni Generator Victims Demand Judgement

Hassan Kamara, along with seven other individuals who were victims of the Makeni generator incident, have filed a judgment notice at the ECOWAS court against Sierra Leone. The lawsuit, identified as suit No. ECW/CCJ/APP/36/22, has been scheduled for a hearing on June 16, 2023.

The plaintiffs allege that Sierra Leone has failed to respond to their claims.

Institute of Human Right and Development in Africa (IHRDA) lawyers Edmond Foley Esq. and Oludayo Fagbemi were representing them in the Gambia.

Sierra Leone has not submitted a defense since the case was filled on 12^th August 2022 and the defendant was served through an email by the Judiciary of the Court on 17^th August 2022.

Earlier in Makeni on 17^th and 18^th July 2020, some youths were protesting against the Respondent (SL) for a decision by the Government to move a generator which supplied electricity to Makeni. These youths did not like the decision and came out in protest. According to the suit, ‘in response, the officers of the Sierra Leone Army and the Police cracked down on the Protests. In many parts fired gunshots and teargas at protesters, or people thought to be protesters.”

Sierra Leone Government failed to conduct an investigation on the instances of use of force by its agents; there were no prosecutions and no preparedness have been provided to the victims by the state headed by President Bio.

In the continuation of the protest on the 18th of July 2020, the law enforcement officer declared a curfew throughout the town. “The law enforcement officers shot at several young person’s found on the streets of Makeni.” The suit said.

In the suit, Hassan Kargbo was shot returning from the farm. He was shot in the back as he was running away from the police.

He was unarmed and posed no threat to the officers or any other persons. Due to the gunshot wounds, he became paralysed from the waist down, and he is not functioning like he used to before he was shot. Mohamed Fornah, the second Plaintiff, was in his veranda in front of his house when he was allegedly shot by law enforcement officers.

“Augustine Conteh, Alusine Sesay, Mohamed Sillah, Thaimu Kamara and John Jalloh lost their lives” said the Suit. The suit said that the Right to security of 1^st and 2^nd Plaintiff has been violated by the Respondents and also their right to life as well was violated. The 3^rd to 8^th Plaintiff who were shot and killed which is against the 4 Article 4 of the African Charter which provides for the right to life and prohibits all arbitrary deprivation of the right to life.