During re-examination of State Witness Phillip Anderson Samura at Commission 65, State Counsel Robert B. Kowa asked him about an apology letter from Children’s Forum Network (CFN) and he replied that “I did not instruct anybody to write an apology on my behalf to the then Minister.” Earlier in examination in chief, Lawyer Kowa asked him how he was affected by the incident of 28th December, 2016 and he explained that he was beaten by unknown men at the Ministry, but cannot exactly tell why he was beaten and the beating only started after he told them that he was a member of CFN. The matter he said was reported to the Police and not the Minister and was issued a police medical report form (exhibit (MSW) Z) which he took to the Connaught Hospital for him to be examined. The said exhibit (MSW) DC1-3 (a press release from CFN of March 15, 2017) was put to the witness during cross examination by person of interest Sylvia Olayinka Blyden who was the then Minister at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA) on Monday 16th, September 2019.
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Samura told the Commission that he is seeing the said exhibit for the first time. Blyden then asked him to read bullet point number three, “…That we have today March 15, 2017, also rendered our unrestrained and fullest of apologies to the Minister of MSWGCA for the miscommunication between CFN and the Ministry and we have asked for her forgiveness. We are now fully ready to work hand in glove with her and hence making sure that we protect children’s right and helps promote child participation in our country Sierra Leone” the exhibit reads. “We are very happy that we have met with her today and that we have had a mother internal dialogue and express our apologies in person and discuss concrete ways to advance our mutual interest in advancing the rights and wellbeing of the children of Sierra Leone.” Blyden asked the witness that from what he has read it shows that CFN asked her for her forgiveness and whether he can you confirm that what he just read out showed that they asked for her forgiveness “I don’t know… I cannot confirm whether from those paragraphs whether CFN asked for her forgiveness or not” the witness replied. He was then asked to read from number 5 again. “…We also unreservedly apologise to the general public for the actions of certain members for the past few weeks which divided us and led to the unfortunate misunderstanding with the minister and the unfortunate event which spill into the public domain, please accept our sincere apology for all actions that were inconsistent with the values and morals that we speak of and stand for as leaders and champion of other children in Sierra Leone we can assure you that this saga is over and will not repeat itself again” the exhibits says. The POI asked the witness to read from page 2 of his statement to the police Statement to police (marked exhibit (MSW)D1-5), he read that “…at that juncture there came some men from different directions and hold me as if I have done something wrong, an unknown man among them who came and said they are taking me to where my other colleagues are or in fact they are not taking me there again but the police station.” Blyden then asked him if he is telling the tribunal that the men who held his hand told him that they were taking him to the police station and the witness recalled that when they asked me whether he was a member of the CFN and he responded that he was and then the men told him that they were taking him to the police station. “I accepted fully because I knew I was not oblivious of the fact that I did nothing wrong and I told myself that I am more safer in the hands of the police than in the hands of these unknown men” Samura added and as he was about to continue Blyden interrupted by asking him to stop and Justice Thompson told her to let the witness complete his testimony. “You asked a question let him answer, as that is how we proceed, if he gets too far away from what he is to say I will caution him, so no interruptions let him finish.” Samura then continue to explain that immediately one of the unknown men came and said why are they treating him as if he was a baby and they started beating him, “they did not directly bring me to the police they left me around the lorry park” he said. Blyden then asked him if the police station is located next to the Lorry Park and Samura said no and that it is located around the lorry park.
By Zainab Iyamide Joaque
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