Sierra Leone Telegraph: 01 June 2020:
After thirty days in detention, FBC student and child rights activist – Hussain Muckson Sesay, was this morning freed on bail.
He was discharged from the Pademba Road maximum security prison where he had been detained after his arrest for publishing a photo of Dr Sylvia Blyden on social media – showing Blyden at the CID. (Photo above: Muckson Sesay and lawyer Melron Nicol-Wilson).
Both Dr Blyden and Muckson Sesay were granted bail last Friday by magistrate, but Muckson had to stay in prison over the weekend because prison officers had already finished work when his bail was agreed.
Lawyer Melron Nicol -Wilson this morning handed over Mukson to his family, friends and colleagues.
Muckson Sesay is 19 years old, studying Engineering at Fourah Bay College. He is a former Secretary General of the Children’s Forum Network.
He represented the children of Sierra Leone at the 73rd Session of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, in Geneva, Switzerland.
It would be recalled that Muckson was arrested, detained and charged to court, with one count that he took a photo of police interview of Dr Sylvia Blyden and posted on social media, stating that social distancing was not observed by the Police amid COVID 19, an allegation Muckson has vehemently denied.
Lawyer Melron Nicol-Wilson argued in court that taking a photo and posting it on social media cannot amount to preventing the course of justice, and certainly not a crime under domestic and international law. (Above video showing Muckson, Lawyer Melron and Muckson’s friends as Muckson walks out of detention).
Source credit: Pipul Pikin Network Team .
Sad to see people in power recklessly and irresponsibly making a mockery of our judiciary. Such reckless behavior is typical of Junta regimes and not the DNA of democracy and democratic regimes. We were right from the beginning, that the men and women arrested after the slaughtering of our prisoners and prison officers by President Bio’s presidential guards did nothing wrong.
Now, the legal battle and compensation for the unlawful incarceration of Dr Sylvia Blyden, Muckson and others must begin. I strongly believe that Rtd Major Paolo Conteh, Ms Isata Saccoh and all those unlawfully incarcerated will be exonerated. The Bio SLPP have no choice but to release all those gallant men and women unlawful incarcerated, unconditionally. Have to. God bless, help and protect all the unlawful incarcerated opposition members.
Yes of course you must say that, because Bio distributed a free $$$ millions of dollars to Ernest and to his entire ministers, somehow, so called – retirement package some couple of months ago. Muckson should receive $5,000,000.000+.
“ It would be recalled that Muckson was arrested, detained and charged to court, with one count that he took a photo of police interview of Dr Sylvia Blyden and posted on social media, stating that social distancing was not observed by the Police amid COVID 19, an allegation Muckson has vehemently denied”
Incredible, only in a tyrannical state will an innocent, poor, young, citizen get arrested and locked up in jail for over 30 days for merely taking a picture. Since when is it illegal to take a picture of anyone, including even the most important person in the nation, the president?
Congratulations, Mr Mucktson Sesay, on your release. I only hope you and your lawyer can move swiftly and pursue this case to the ECOWAS human rights court, for wrongful detention of your person by the state. Apart from seeking damages, your action will send a clear message to the overzealous Sierra Leone police force , that your right to freely express yourself, with out being dragged in front of a kangaroo court, is enshrined in the 1991 constitution. You can say whatever you want to say, as long as you don’t incite violence, and division amongst our people, Or make libelous statements against an individual, either spoken or in prints.
In this case you were not guilty of any such offences. It appears to me the only people that are exempt from this law, are some of the not so clever people we have in both the APC and SLPP party supporters brigade. The misfits, or the mini Trumps. They create divisions and are permanently wedded in the us versus them mentality. Suffice to say it is the only world they know. They have nothing to offer our country in the way of development. John F Kennedy, former American president once said “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country” On that context these people who preach tribal politics in Sierra Leone have failed that test miserably. Pity you are one of their victims.
The 1977 and 1980 students riots were both speerheaded and organised by students in this great learning institution we called Fourah Bay college. Indeed, students in this institution were a great inspiration of resistance during the anarchy of the civil war. Keep up the good work, you are carrying the FBC, flag of resistance of tyranny and oppression. You can always rely on students in this great institution to resist any form of subjugation. I hope it teaches our Sierra Leone police a lesson, that having a photograph, or a portrait of an opposition party member by itself is not a crime. Unless they are reading the historical 1661 constitution of Sierra Leone of centuries gone by.
Good to see an innocent young man arrested by a Criminal Cabal free once again.This Dictator in State House is hell-bent of instilling fear on the people of Sierra Leone,to achieve his own self-centered aims and objectives.Its the oldest trick in the book of authoritarian rule – make everyone live in constant fear,afraid for their lives,and safety if they dare to utter,a word of protest,discontent,and reproach against his government.Utter,or whisper a word of resentment,and away,away like smoke in the storm you go,to a dungeon of torture somewhere in the outskirts of Kenema,Kailahun,or Bo.