Dr Sylvia Blyden’s mother calls on government to respect and protect the human rights of her beloved daughter.
Dr Sylvia Blyden’s
mother calls on government
to respect and
protect the human rights of her beloved daughter.
Respect and protect
the Human Rights of my beloved daughter Dr Sylvia Blyden
By Mrs
Sylvia E J Blyden
My name is Mrs. Sylvia Editha Jolliminah Blyden. I am a
dual Sierra Leone and British Citizen living in the United Kingdom. I am 75
years old, retired pensioner, having served the government and people of Sierra
Leone in various capacities including serving as Teacher, Civil Servant rising
to the Administrative rank of Development Secretary, Social Worker in
especially the Sierra Leone United Nations Association as Secretary General,
founding of its school branches, SLUNSA right across Sierra Leone leading to
bonds of lifelong friendships formed when annually, those students would meet
to stage the Mock Session of the UN General Assembly in Bo, Kenema, Njala,
Makeni, Port Lokko and Freetown. I was involved in many more Social activities
in the State as well as in the Church.
I am deeply
concerned about the continued incarceration of my beloved daughter Dr Sylvia
Olayinka Blyden, since 1st May 2020, in Freetown, firstly in the Criminal
Investigations Department (CID) for 22days, under harsh conditions and as from
Friday last week, at the Female Correctional Centre at New England, amid her
deteriorating state of health, after she was “kidnapped” and “dragged’’ out of
our family home in Freetown by armed security forces.
The arbitrary
arrest and the subsequent detention of Dr Blyden were connected to trumped-up
charges brought against her by the Government after she called on Sierra Leone
President Julius Maada Bio to respect Democracy, Human Rights, and to take more
appropriate measures to tackle COVID 19, in the public interest. Her
observation that AT THE INITIAL STAGE OF COVID 19 reaching Sierra Leone could
have a positive effect of halting it on its tracks if ALL KNOWN PERSONS
INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS WERE PUBLICLY NAMED, incurred the anger from some in
the top echelons of the Government. It was clearly reported that 6 people were
infected. Five were named. One remained a protected person that must not be
named. Dr Sylvia Blyden insisted that in an Open Society, everyone must be named.
There should be ‘no scared cow’ in the fight against COVID 19. The reason for
that position taken was that as Dr Nellie Bell came out openly to inform, even
a trader she may have had contact with, would remember, come forward and ask to
be tested, to get eliminated or treated as the case might be. Dr Sylvia Blyden
believed that with the admirable closing of all the Borders of Sierra Leone by
President Maada Bio, the few that may be found within the country could be
quickly found through contact tracing, thereby nipping in the bud, the spread
of the virus.
It is relevant at
this point to let you all know who Dr Sylvia Olayinka Blyden really is.
At age 10, she
brought home an emaciated, smelly, hairless puppy (aykooroo dog) she found at
Juba Bridge. Everyone in the home ran away from that dog. She washed it, fed
it. That dog became the biggest and most loyal of all the 13 dogs we had.
Significantly, NO ONE ARRESTED HER FOR THAT.
She went to a
Village in Moyamba, Mogbainchain and saw mothers trekking miles daily to take
their children to a palm frond school that flooded during the rains. She did
not build an extension to the school at Gloucester, her maternal grandma’s
village, she did not build an extension to the school at Regent, her maternal
grandpa’s village, she built a concrete school in Mogbainchain, Moyamba,
SIGNIFICANTLY, NO ONE ARRESTED HER FOR THAT.
As Minister in
charge of Children and Gender Affairs, she learnt that the SLPP Women’s Leader
then, Ms Kuku Sheriff was arrested and refused bail when the SLPP without
permission from the Police and the Committee empowered to grant licence, came
out in a combative mood with their masquerade, stoning cars and houses. The
Police arrested her son who had only just left her Office to go and find out
what the affray was all about. Ms Kuku Sherriff who had been the Principal of
Harford School for decades, rushed down with her motherly instinct to tell the
Police that they were wrong to arrest her son and she too got promptly
arrested.
Umaru Napoleon Koroma was the lawyer representing the SLPP Women’s
Leader and the SLPP Women. Dr Blyden heard about it after they appeared in
court and were refused bail. At 7pm, she immediately informed the Director of
Prisons that she was making a visit to Ms Kuku Sheriff, she refused the advice
given that she did not have to go personally but could send her Officer the
next day. She took along, chocolates, biscuits and fruits and entered the cell
of Ms Kuku Sheriff, who on seeing her, thought that she had gone to gloat.
After learning of the saga that led to her being detained, Dr Sylvia Blyden
immediate went to ex-President Dr Ernest Koroma to report that an Educationist,
a Role Model was being treated badly. Up to that point, the ex-President had no
knowledge of the issues. He called the Attorney General and he confirmed that
it was true and he then gave instructions that all of the SLPP Women, including
the Women’s Leader must be set free. Dr Blyden then, in a midnight call,
informed Umaru Napoleon Koroma esq and he could not believe his ears.
SIGNIFICANTLLY, DR SYLVIA BLYDEN WAS NOT ARRESTED FOR STANDING UP TO BULLIES OF
HUMAN RIGHTS
But now, true to her character to always stand up for those who
have their Human Rights trodden on, she is being charged on three counts,
please note, not one, not two, but three counts on the same topic, that she
brought to the notice of the Government and people, the fact that Prominent
Personality Prisoner was kept in a cell with a Waste Bucket overflowing with
his own excrement of faeces and urine, so that if they were unaware, as former President
Ernest Koroma was unaware of the arrests of the SLPP Women’s Leader, they would
be made aware to take prompt action. SIGNIFICANTLY, DR BLYDEN WAS NOW ARRESTED
FOR DOING HER HUMAN RIGHTS FIGHT THROUGH HER JOURNALISM.
The case is now in
Court so I will only highlight that you cannot change the character of a Patriot
who will always fight for the downtrodden to get Justice, be they found in
Kailahun, in Pujehun, in Kenema, in Moyamba, in Makeni, in Karene, in Port
Lokko, in Freetown or even in her own backyard, all over Sierra Leone, wherever
they are found. The only crime that my dear daughter is guilty of is
PATRIOTISM. She is critical in her objections, be you the Government Party or
any Opposition Party. THAT IS NOT A CRIME. IT IS DEMOCRACY.
Dr
Blyden was charged on the 22nd May 2020 at a Freetown Magistrate Court with
offences of seditious libel under the Public Order Act No 46 of 1965. The
charge included ten counts.
My
Adopted Grandson, 19-year-old Hussain Muckson Sesay, who is a Dedicated Child
Rights Activist for the Children’s Forum Network, was also arbitrary arrested
and detained on the 3rd May 2020. Muckson was charged on one count for
allegedly taking a photo of Dr Blyden’s police interview and publishing it on
Facebook. He denies the allegation.
Dr
Blyden left one of her Workers, a family man, to remain in her home when she
was taken away by the Police. Because he wanted to be with his family during
the Lockdown, Muckson volunteered to be in the compound so the family man could
go off duty. The next morning, Muckson called me to let me know that he wanted
to prepare sausages for the breakfast for Doc and he asked me to talk him
through the process. We had a laugh until he stuck the fork in the sausage and
no blood oozed out. The Police vehicle collected him as it was the Lockdown
period. He was asked to leave his phones and laptops at the CID Reception
whilst he took the breakfast up to Doc. On returning, the Police, without his
permission, and he was not under investigation, had opened his phones and
laptops to search through them. He was promptly arrested for a picture they
found on his Facebook Page. I know that even letters must not be opened if it
was not addressed to you.
Both
Dr Blyden and child activist Muckson were locked in solitary confinement and
being held for many days in a police cell where they slept on a dirty floor
with only a bucket to be used for urine and excrement which was left to
accumulate in the most unsanitary manner.
I know that many people quote my daughter as
being opposed to the elimination of the Libel Section in the Public Order Act.
Her full argument is THAT UNTIL ALL NEWSPAPERS ARE MADE TO LODGE SECURITY BONDS
IN MILLIONS OF LEONES AT THE BANK OF SIERRA LEONE, SO THAT, IF A NEWSPAPER IS
GUILTY OF LIBEL, THE VICTIM WILL INSTANTLY BE PAID DAMAGES FROM THE SECURITY BOND,
AND THEN, THAT NEWSPAPER MUST NOT PUBLISH AGAIN UNTIL IT AGAIN DEPOSIT ENOUGH
FUNDS AS THAT WHICH WAS TAKEN AWAY, THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP RECKLESS
JOURNALISM BY PAPERS THAT HAVE A READERSHIP OF NOT EVEN UP TO ONE HUNDRED FROM
MAKING LIBELLOUS STATEMENTS AND GETTING AWAY WITH IT.
SHE FULLY SUPPORTED
THE ABOLISHING OF THE LIBEL LAWS BUT ONLY AFTER CHECKS AND BALANCES ARE IN
PLACE. Those who are making wild claims that she was against abolishing the
Laws are mischief makers. She advocated that it be removed as a CRIMINAL CHARGE
and become a CIVIL CHARGE but with all the protection necessary for journalists
not to abuse the system.
The
ongoing proceedings against a Sierra Leonean daughter, Founder and only Female
Publisher of Awareness Times Newspaper, someone who has contributed so much to
our Country as an Entrepreneur, Journalist, Activist, Medical Doctor and former
Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs presently held in
arbitrary detention, display a flagrant violation of Human Rights, the Rule of
Law, and the Democratic freedom to gather and share information. I see my
daughter as a champion for Unity, Freedom, Justice, and a symbol of Democracy
and Media Freedom, supporting the Public’s Right to know the truth at great
personal cost.
As a family we have
learned to interact with all religions, tribes, races and creed and my late
husband and myself taught our biological and adopted children and grandchildren
from all over the world who choose to identify with us as a family not to
discriminate or let anyone feel inferior to us. We are all one in that our
individual DNA identifies us as being of the human species living on Planet
Earth. My daughter, Sylvia has the best interest of country and she is
outspoken and fervent in her desire to ensure that the voiceless gets a voice
through her writings as an International Journalist, and her forthright
speeches, all done within the tenets of ensuring democracy and the rule of law
prevails within the borders of Sierra Leone.
I am shocked by
serious circumventions of the right to due process and fair trial after my
daughter was detained for 22 days in police custody unconstitutionally and
subjected to torture, inhumane and degrading treatment. My daughter has been
held in rather deplorable conditions which are highly detrimental to her
health. We are extremely worried as a family, especially with the COVID-19
pandemic which is spreading throughout the world for her well-being.
Furthermore, no protective measures from COVID-19 were taken during the
interrogations and statement-taking that lasted for several hours. Including
while in Police custody, we learnt with alarm that the Head of Administration
of the CID allegedly died of COVID 19 whilst she was in Custody. Thankfully,
they allowed her to buy a gallon of Dettol, a gallon of bleach, soap, loads of
towels and air freshener on the day she learnt of his death. The Police
cleaners scrubbed all of the Female cells including her own, from ceiling to
floor.
Dr Sylvia Blyden is
in precarious health and without the support, time or strength for a proper
defence of her Human Rights. Consistent with its commitment to International
Human Rights instruments and Constitution of Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone
Government must heed the urgent advice of Medical Doctors from Sierra Leone and
abroad, and allow my daughter Dr Blyden to access appropriately specialised and
expert hospital setting outside prison, before it is too late. If the Sierra
Leone Government fails to heed doctors’ advice by urgently granting bail to Dr
Blyden on Medical Grounds, I will hold the Government fully responsible, if
anything happens to my beloved daughter.
The prospects of a
fair trial have been undermined in many ways. The Government of Sierra Leone
should follow the proud example of Democratic Nations. The treatment of my
daughter is below the dignity of Great Nations like the United Kingdom that
gave the World the Magna Carta in 1215 and the Habeas Corpus. To protect the
image of our beautiful country and obey our laws, the present Sierra Leonean
government must set Dr Blyden free immediately. The people of Sierra Leone
should stand firm against any attempt to undermine Democracy and the Rule of
Law. We must not allow State Authorities to contaminate and corrupt the fair administration
of Justice in accordance with law. What you fear to stand up for today as Dr
Sylvia Blyden has done, will catch up with you when individually, no matter the
Group you are today supporting, will affect you too. Believe me.
The establishment
of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), following 11
years of bitter civil conflict, was appropriate, necessary and highly
significant for the healing of a traumatised nation. The report of the TRC
highlighted the Government corruption during the years leading up to the
conflict, the desecration of the constitution, the perpetuation of injustice
and the pillaging of the country's wealth. The Commission called upon the
Ministry of Justice, including Judges and Lawyers, to defend the rule of law
(paragraph 176 of the TRC).
The TRC’s findings
challenge us, as a nation, to learn from the past and to reinforce the belief
that the past cannot, and must not, be forgotten. This is the time for the
country to come together to promote a prosperous and united Sierra Leone guided
by Unity, Freedom and Justice. Everyone is needed to come on board and have a
voice in the governance of the country, regardless of tribal and political
affiliations.
The
struggle for the rights and freedoms of all Sierra Leoneans was at the very
heart of the fight for independence from Britain. The people of Sierra Leone
deserve freedom so that all citizens can live in peace and without fear of
intimidation. People should be free to join any political party or group
without intimidation regardless of their tribe or political affiliation. The
Constitution of Sierra Leone guarantees the rights to freedom of expression,
assembly and movement, and prohibits torture at all times. Sierra Leone has
ratified International Treaties which guarantee these Rights.
I respectfully call
on the International Community – Moral Guarantors of Sierra Leone to use their
influence to obtain the immediate release of Dr Blyden and Muckson from a
Freetown Prison where they are being unjustly incarcerated. This scandal may be largely hidden today but
will surely emerge in history unless measures are taken immediately by the
government and people of Sierra Leone to correct this major injustice.
We are not
promoting any agenda with breaking the Laws of Sierra Leone, but rather we are
asking that Good Governance and leniency prevail in this matter for the good.
We ask the people of Sierra Leone to transmit this message to the President of
Sierra Leone, H.E Julius Maada Bio. We appeal to his Sense of Justice for a
great daughter of Sierra Leone, to uphold the best principles of Democracy and
Respect for Human Rights by calling for the immediately release of Dr Sylvia
Blyden and Muckson Sesay.
As a mother, I am
asking for everyone to empathise with me, just as my daughter empathised with
Ms Kuku Sheriff and the arrested SLPP Women, to have my daughter Dr Blyden and
adopted grandson Muckson released unharmed and safely back home.
Following a World wide Zoom Press Conference hosted by AYV and supported by several other m edia contributors and individuals , Dr Sylvia Blyden and Hussain Muckson Sesay have ben relased on bail.Dr Blyden on a Le500,000 plus TWO Sureties with Homes to support her. Also set free is the wife of Ret Major Alfred Palo Conteh Isata, who has now gone home.
Yesterday, it was reported that Muckson's Lawyer Melron Nichol -Wilson will be seeking to open a case of human Rights violation against the Government of Serra Leone on his client behalf asking for a US$ 500,000 compensation
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Meanwhile, the case of Palo conteh continues with the first CID witness for the prosecution DSP M K Allieu testifying that it was the State Counsels Office that advised them (CID) to charge Paolo Conteh with Treason - see report below.
Link: radio Democracy Good Morning Sierra Leone 98.1 2/05/2020
Court report
Palo Conteh’s Treason Trial…
First Witness Testifies
By Jane B. Mansaray
The State Prosecutors in the treason trial of Retired Major Alfred Palo Conteh and two others yesterday led in evidence their first Prosecution Witness, Detective Police Superintendent, Mohamed Kurugba Allieu.
Led in evidence by Lawyer Adrain Fisher, the witness Superintendent M.K. Allieu, an operations officer attached to the Headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department told the court that he recognized and knows all the accused persons, particularly the first accused person, Alfred Palo Conteh who was Minister of Defense in the government of Sierra Leone.
He said he recalled on the 19thMarch 2020, he was on duty in the morning hours at the CID Headquarters on Pademba Road in Freetown, when he got instructions from his superior, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) John Kenneth Alpha to put together a team of investigators to move with him to State House.
Upon arriving at State House, the witness said they were ushered in by the Director of Presidential Guard, Lieutenant Colonel M.M. Kposowa on the third floor waiting room of State House where the first accused, Alfred Palo Conteh was identified in the presence of other guests including a military officer, Colonel Taluva.
M.K. Allieu further told the court that he was informed by M.M. Kposowa of a loaded pistol in a brown bag which was handed over to him (Allieu) together with a Block 17 pistol and enclosed was a loaded magazine with ten rounds live fire arm and fire arm license valid for one year bearing the name and photo of Alfred Palo Conteh for investigation.
During the course of the investigation, Mr. Palo Conteh claimed ownership of the exhibit items and that he was ready and willing to make a statement to the Police.
According to the prosecution witness, on the same date at State House, together with Woman Police Detective (WPC) Inspector Aminata Kamara, they interviewed Mr. Palo Conteh on the allegation of unlawful possession of fire arm and entering into a prohibited place at State House.
During the cause of obtaining interview statement from Mr. Palo Conteh, the witness said Mr. Palo Conteh stated that he got the BFEF234 Block pistol from his nephew, Mamoud Koroma who is a serving member of the United States of America Army.
"I have been personally using the BFEF 234 block pistol for my personal protection since it was licensed in 2017,” Mr. Palo Conteh said in his statement made to the police.
"On entering State House at the invitation of President Bio, I voluntarily handed over my bag to the security personnel attached to State House and then indicated of having my weapon in the bag, and they asked me to go with it but I insisted I leave my bag with the security and proceeded to the meeting” this is according to Palo Conteh`s statement that was read in court by the Lead Investigator, Superintendent M.K. Allieu.
Mr. Palo Conteh was later granted police bail and on the following day, the witness said the investigation team had course to invite Mr. Palo Conteh for further investigation.
After thorough investigation, M.K. Allieu said the investigating team thought it fit to detain Mr. Palo Conteh and later obtained further statement from him in the presence of his solicitors, Lawyer Ady Macaulay and Wara Serry Kamal. Mr. Palo Conteh`s statement made to the police was identified, read and tendered as court exhibit.
Before the witness was led in evidence, several objections were raised by one of the first accused person’s Defense team, Lawyer Joseph F. Kamara on the grounds of duplicity and multiple indictments against his client, Mr. Palo Conteh, particularly on the statement and particulars in the indictment.
One of the State Prosecutors, Lawyer J.A.K. Sesay also raised an objection questioning the legal practice of Defense Counsel Lawyer J.F. Kamara as his name was not originally on the list of Legal Counsels of 2020.
According to State Counsel, the name of Lawyer J.F. Kamara was absent on the list of 2020 legal practitioners and that his registration and entitlement on the list to practice as Barrister and Solicitor in a Court of competent jurisdiction in Sierra Leone for the practicing year 2020 from the Secretary of Legal Counsel license and registered list comprising of total of two hundred and seventy one.
The trial Judge, Justice Momoh Jah Stevens overruled the objections and allowed the matter to proceed.
The matter discontinued after lunch based on humanitarian concerns raised by Lead Defense Lawyer, A.O. Conteh, appealing for the accused person`s right to food and water.
Justice Stevens has urged the Correctional Service Center to perfect the bench orders and make sure they brought food and water for the accused persons at every court hearing.
The matter was adjourned to today, Wednesday, 27th May, 2020.
Link: radio Democracy Good Morning Sierra Leone 98.1 2/05/2020
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