Sierra Leone Telegraph: 21 December 2021:
Awareness Times Newspaper yesterday reported that up to ten female members of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) are languishing in the country’s Maximum Security Female Prisons in Freetown where they are locked up since last week, and are due to appear in Court again today Tuesday 21st December 2021.
The women were arrested and charged to court for allegedly creating riotous conduct in the city when they went to accompany APC strongwoman Finda Diana Konomanyi (Photo) to answer an Invitation from the Sierra Leone Police about a video Konomanyi allegedly made against the announced 2021 Mid-Term Census.
According to Awareness Times, the Women were charged to court for what are all bailable criminal offences. Unfortunately, the women were all denied Bail by the Judiciary and remanded at the country’s female prisons. They are expected to make their second appearance in court tomorrow.
There has been a growing call for Women to be allowed to express themselves without being subjected to undue detentions.
Whilst the current Judiciary has made commendable strides in advancing the interests of Women ever since the new Chief Justice Hon. Dr. Desmond Babatunde Edwards was sworn in some three years ago, it is also not contestable that Women have suffered needless denial of Bail by the Judiciary under Edward’s watch, says Awareness Times.
There are many Bail Policies that have been published which all frown at needless denial of Bail to accused persons. Sadly, these Bail Policies do not always get followed.
The ten women from the APC are amongst the latest set of victims of being denied Bail for what are bailable offences, the paper says.
I personally believe that these Women are unfortunately being used as POLITICAL PAWNS or as COLLATERAL . They are not victims based on the fact that they have paid through the brown envelope from the lifetime leader and chairman of the destructive APC party. As far as I am concerned, they are in the same class as the lady that was shot and killed at the Capitol building in the January 6 Riot through the incitement by former President Trump. The APC are still denying that they lost the 2018 elections, they believe that only “ Mammy Cussing” and Riots will bring them back to Statehouse.
What an indefensible and scandalous thing to do: locking up women unceremoniously for their legitimately expressing dissent – a fundamental right of theirs in a country where democratic rules and practices should be at the very heart of governance. Indeed, how infra dig and fascistic under Bio’s watch for state security forces to intimidate and terrorise unarmed, defenceless women, whose only crime is for daring to belong to a political party or parties and to thus hold and express views about how our country is being run.
These women are mothers, wives, sisters and aunts, etc., and should be shown the respect and honour they deserve in accordance with our age-old African cultural values, practices and sensibilities. They do not belong in prisons. Except perhaps in a fascist state – a Hitlerite or Stalinist polity.
And Mr and Mrs Bio please tell us what has become of your HANDS OFF OUR GIRLS! mantra. Or is it the case that that order of yours does not apply when it comes to the behaviour of your POLICE towards OUR WOMEN?