By Amin Kef Sesay
Personnel of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Sierra Leone Police on the 6th May 2020, empowered with a search warrant, break into the Cockle Bay residence of controversial female activist, journalist & medical doctor, Sylvia Olayinka Blyden, on the pretext of conducting a search for evidence(s) that will substantiate the trump-up charges of incitement and subversion for which the popular and controversial national figure was arrested on the 1st May 2020.
This medium reliably learnt that after hours of painstakingly ransacking every nook and cranny in the house the Police claimed that they got certain evidences relating to the aforementioned charges, according to Superintendent M.K Alieu, who led the team of investigators that conducted the search.
In addressing some journalists of the African Young Voices, whom the Police solely invited on Wednesday 6th May 2020 at Dr. Sylvia Blyden’s Aberdeen residence, after the search has been conducted, Supt. MK Alieu informed that one of the evidences they discovered was a portrait furthering that the alleged suspect will now have to tell them at the CID Headquarters whose portrait it is, whose President it is on that portrait. He further informed that certain documents and one laptop computer were retrieved further underscoring that those evidences are related to the arrest of former Defence Minister, Rtd Major Palo Conteh.
The portrait referred to by Supt M.K Alieu is that of former President Ernest Bai Koroma.
When this medium went out on the streets to sound the views of certain individuals relating to Ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma’s portrait as an item of evidence this was what some had to say:
“Is it a crime for someone to have the portrait of erstwhile President Ernest Bai Koroma hanging in his or her house? The CID Officers are really not serious as they should now concentrate on enforcing certain measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus in the country instead of intimidating individuals that the current political class is not comfortable with,” a renowned Political Commentator opined.
Another Sierra Leonean, residing in the United States of America, Mohamed Fofana, maintained that the Sierra Leone Police is a big disgrace referencing certain recent excessiveness that the Police stand accused of in dealing with recent tense situations adding that for peace and national cohesion to hold then the human rights of individuals must be respected.
“This is the most laughable comedy I have witnessed in my life to regard a portrait of someone as an evidence in a matter that has to deal with alleged incitement and subversion,” the Chairman of the Rawdon Street Traders Union intimated furthering that what are happening now in the country is not good in the best interest of the country.
“Dr. Blyden has served this country in various capacities including being a Cabinet Minister in the past Government, so why should the photo of the past President hanging in her private home be an issue with the Sierra Leone Police?” a Senior Citizen, who preferred anonymity also quizzed adding that it reinforces the suspicion Sierra Leoneans have that Dr. Blyden was arrested because she is a member of the opposition rather than for incitement.
It could be recalled that Dr Sylvia Olayinka Blyden was arrested and detained at CID on Friday, 1 May 2020 after, according to her, she was waylaid for several hours at her residence. Three phones and three laptop computers were retrieved from her for examination and analysis.
She is said to be investigated for “incitement to subvert the authority of the State, based on articles she has published from April 2018 to date, criticizing the Government of Sierra Leone. However, the Investigating Officers did not specify any article or material that she has published which amounted to ‘incitement’. Dr. Blyden refuted the allegations and among other things, referred the Police Officers to Section 11 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone No. 6 1991, which places an obligation on her as a journalist to hold Government to account for the people.
As we go to Press it is now over 72 hours since she has been in detention without granting her bail contrary to the 1991 Constitution but the Police say they are still investigating her.
When the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla and the Secretary General of the same Association, Asmieu Bah went to the CID few days ago to find out why she was detained, Dr. Blyden said she was “kidnapped” and never informed why she was arrested.
She said she was being asked “why I was so critical of the Government and writing to incite the populace”.
In another development into the same matter, during a Sierra Leone Police Press Conference on Thursday 7th May, 2020, Director of Crime Services of the Sierra Leone Police, AIG Mohamed Brima Jah, disclosed that when the first search was conducted at the residence of Dr. Sylvia Blyden they discovered three computers but said they also received another intelligence that some unknown individuals have taken computers to her residence which he stated presumably will be of essence to their investigation.
AIG Brima Jah disclosed they informed Sylvia Blyden that they wanted to conduct another search at her residence and wanted her to assist them in the proposed search further adding that when they conducted the second search in the presence of the media they discovered two computers, a Digital camera, a Tablet and a portrait of former President Ernest Bai Koroma. According to him the portrait is of no essence to the Police investigation.
He further said that the said items will be handed over to the Cyber team in order for them to gather all relevant information that will assist them in their investigation.
