Miro Forestry Company says the medical cause of employee Sulaiman Bondoh Kamara’s death remains undetermined after his family declined an autopsy requested by the company.

The company provided the explanation during a September 12, 2026, meeting in Freetown attended by representatives of Kamara’s family, officials from the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security and Miro Forestry management.

The meeting was convened after allegations circulated on Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media platforms claiming that Kamara had been denied sick leave and subsequently died on the company’s premises.

Miro Forestry’s Senior Human Resources Officer, Kadiatu Bah, presented Kamara’s employment and leave records and explained the company’s procedures for annual and sick leave.

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Bah said sick leave is handled through the company clinic, which provides the necessary medical documentation and recommendations, while the Human Resources Department manages annual leave.

According to records presented by the company, Kamara was granted days off and sick leave from March 23 to April 13, 2026. Management also said he sought treatment outside the company’s health facility during that period, although his medical condition was reportedly not disclosed to the company clinic.

The company’s Safety Manager, identified as Mr Evans, separately outlined safety measures applicable to workers in the Boiler Section.

Evans said employees in the section receive specialised protective equipment, including leather aprons, gloves, goggles, earplugs and safety boots. Records presented during the meeting reportedly indicated that Kamara had received the required equipment.

Management said Kamara and another employee were assigned to feed Boiler 5, which it described as a relatively small boiler, and began work at about 6 a.m. on the day of the incident.

According to the company’s account, Kamara did not report any health concerns before he became unsteady at about 12:35 p.m.

Acting Supervisor Mohamed Sesay reportedly saw Kamara struggling to maintain his balance before he collapsed. Colleagues responded and took him to the company’s on-site clinic for assessment.

The company said arrangements were then made to transfer him to Community Health Foundation Hospital because of the seriousness of his condition. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital, according to the account presented at the meeting.

Miro Forestry said it requested an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The company said Kamara’s family declined the request on cultural grounds and later took custody of his body for burial.

Management also said information presented during the engagement indicated that Kamara may have had an underlying health condition for which he was receiving treatment outside the company.

The company emphasised that, without an autopsy, a definitive medical cause of death could not be established. It cautioned against drawing conclusions about the circumstances of his death without supporting medical evidence.

During the meeting, Kamara’s elder brother, Alimamy M. Sankoh, acknowledged that some of the statements circulated online had been made while the family was grieving and emotionally distressed.

The family expressed regret over the allegations and agreed to retract the statements made against the company, according to the account of the meeting.

The family also asked Miro Forestry to consider employing another relative. Management said it was willing to consider the request in line with its recruitment procedures and the availability of an appropriate position.

Miro Forestry further assured the family that any outstanding employment benefits owed to Kamara would be processed in accordance with applicable labour laws and the company’s conditions of service.

The meeting concluded with the parties agreeing to promote accurate information and address future concerns through dialogue rather than relying on unverified claims circulated on social media.