Government has in its white paper on the recommendations of the Jenkins Johnston Commission report on the Koidu Holdings disturbances has agreed that Police Sergeant 6725 Kamara ‘alias Sergeant Twin’ should be charged for murder for shooting to death one Aiah Momoh.
This was the first of 17 recommendations outlined by the commission for which the government reacted with its white paper which was read out to the press by Justice Minister and Attorney General Serry Kamal.
Kamal said, the first two recommendations are to prosecute the three police personnel which include : Sergeant 6725 Kamara , Sergeant 5625 Samadia M.T Commander of OSD personnel deployed at the Koidu Holdings mining site, and Police Sergeant 7876 Kamara M.M ‘alias bolo’ for indiscriminate use of firearms and live ammunition against civilians on the above date. Government approved this recommendation on the provision that it does not affect any action they might want to take on the issue.
Section three of the recommendations touches on the rules of engagement which according to the Commission must “be urgently amended to give clear directives to police personnel as to how to conduct themselves when facing a hostile or unruly crowd of civilians; as to when and how to use firearms with blank or rubber bullets, (as a first step) as to when (as a last resort) to use firearms with live ammunition aiming at the lower half of the body in order to STOP a perceived threat to life and as to when to shoot to kill. Government wholesomely approved this recommendation.
Recommendation four outrightly condemned the “practice of deploying a team of OSD personnel permanently within the premises of Koidu Holdings mining site directly from OSD Headquarters in Freetown,” and called for it to be “discontinued forthwith” with all such security arrangements reverting to be handled by the Local Unit Commander of the Police in Koidu town. Government also agreed with these recommendations.
The Commission recommended that Koidu Holdings compensate “all persons injured by OSD personnel on the 13th December 2007 and to the next of kin of those killed.” Government also approved this recommendation.
Recommendation six of the report extensively deals with the legal aspect, which demands an amendment of the 1994 mines and minerals ACT particularly section 14(!) and (2) of the ACT to bring it in line with existing laws as expressed in the protectorate land ACT Cap.122 which vested power in tribal authorities who hold land for and on behalf of the native communities concerned.
However, recommendations 6, 7, 8, and 9 called for a 60/40 partnership in the revenue, division of the government share with the land owners The white paper maintained that all these issues are currently being addressed by a Task Force that is reviewing all current mining agreements in Sierra Leone.
Recommendations 10 and 11 touched on the relocation of settled populations before blasting while recommendation 13 called for the repeal of the agreement allowing Koidu Holdings to operate an armed security unit.
Recommendations 15 and 16 dealt with the mines and minerals Acts and the establishment of cutting and polishing industries in Sierra Leone. These were all approved by government.
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