The Coalition of Civil Society and Human Rights Activist – Sierra Leone (CCHRA-SL) has expressed its disappointment over the protection of the recently apprehended $60m street valued cocaine at the Freetown International airport.
The press statement by the CCHRA which vehemently condemned using the Sierra Leone international airport as a drug trafficking hub, questioned the safe keeping of the consignment by foreign nationals questioning “does this mean that all our Military and Police personnel have failed us?”
The statement noted, “whilst we accept the fact that the public has lost some confidence in few of our security personnel because of the seizure of other drugs in their possession, we still have great confidence in most of our security personnel across the country.”
The CCHRA also condemns the beating and molestation of a journalist by some police personnel at the Port Loko police station while investigating the cocaine saga, “we call on the police high command to also investigate those police personnel as their action was tantamount to hiding something from the press,” it stressed. The media release stated that the coalition viewed this incident as a major compromise to our National Security and integrity by some members of the Security Sector. “This national betrayal by some security personnel and the traffickers and their collaborators continue to have negative impact on our country’s youth development,” emphasized the report. The CCHRA also stated it appreciation of the current investigation and arrest of suspects regarding the said saga.
“The coalition recall that hundreds of such cases and incidences had attracted investigation by high political officers and security personnel, but regrettably investigations had ended up in either dust bin, suspect release, public informed by police that the investigation is still in progress whilst the suspects parade back on the streets or are flown out of the country to learn more professional skills to perform his or her usual drug business with more advanced collaborators. We call on the government not to allow this saga to end the same way as others,” the media report underscored.
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