Sierra Leone Telegraph: 30 December 2024:
The whereabouts of one of Sierra Leone’s popular journalists – Thomas Dixon, remains uncertain, after the country’s Inspector General of Police – Fayia Sellu, threatened to have him arrested.
According to the Inspector General of Police, Thomas Dixon had accused him of “arrogance” – a very serious crime against those in power in Sierra Leone.
Despite promises by the Inspector General of Police that he will not follow through with his threats, following the intervention of several civil society groups and the Association of Journalists, Thomas Dixon is yet to be seen in public.
It is believed that Thomas Dixon is in hiding; or perhaps worse has happened to him, in a country where many are very worried about their safety and security, after six years of political repression and the extra-judicial killing of over two hundred unarmed citizens by the security forces in cold blood.
Recent meetings of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the country’s Attorney General and Chief Justice respectively, to discuss the gross human rights violations being committed by the government, has led to the sacking of both the Attorney General and the Chief Justice by the President, in order to derail the ICC investigations and destroy vital evidence.
In a statement published yesterday, the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) – Ahmed Nasrallah, said that SLAJ is” closely monitoring the situation involving our colleague, journalist Thomas Dixon, and the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Fayia Sellu.
“While there was an initial indication of a possible arrest, we want to assure our members and the general public that Thomas Dixon has NOT been arrested.
“This afternoon, the IG contacted me to express his frustration over a Facebook post by Dixon, in which he (the IG) was described as ‘arrogant’. The IG alleged that the journalist misrepresented him despite providing an explanation over the phone. The IG mentioned the arrest of the journalist.
“In response, I engaged the IG, strongly advising against such action and suggesting alternative avenues, including filing a formal complaint with the Independent Media Commission (IMC) or writing directly to SLAJ.
“Following my conversation with the IG, I contacted Dixon, who confirmed he was at home. As a precautionary measure, I advised him to temporarily leave his residence.
“To further de-escalate the situation, I re-engaged the IG, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the relationship between SLAJ and the security sector. The IG assured me he had considered my advice.
“However, he urged me to remind journalists to remain professional in their work. He also informed me that he had attempted to reach Dixon several times after our discussion but received no response.
“For additional reassurance, I reached out to the Minister of Information and Civic Education and the Chairman of the IMC to understand the situation better and to ensure Dixon’s safety.
“We now call on the IG to publicly guarantee the safety and security of Thomas Dixon, allowing him to return to his normal activities without fear.”
The people of Sierra Leone and the international community are now watching to see how this story develops, hoping that Thomas Dixon will soon appear in public.
Sierra Leone has become a dangerous police state, with foreign investors now thinking hard about the country’s political stability.
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