Victor Sylver, the mad cyber thug in London

Commentary
 

By Gibril Gbanabome Koroma.
 

From preliminary investigations we have made it’s becoming increasingly clear that the Sierra Leonean BBC photographer , Victor Sylver , has been leading a double life as far as his bosses at the BBC African Service are concerned.

While he dutifully reports at Bush House every morning to be instructed on the day’s photographic assignments in addition to some odd jobs, the former BBC stringer in Freetown, unknown to his bosses, has been operating a virulent and very unprofessional website in which he has been pouring venomous hatred on people with whom he has disgreed in the past, mostly Sierra Leonean journalists and government officials. Indeed if his white bosses could see or read what Victor publishes in Sierra Herald they would blush with embarassment and shame.

This is perhaps why Victor himself never publishes his photo on his website nor his address or phone number. He is aware that he his committing serious crimes on a daily basis and is apparently comforted by the thought that he will be safe as long as he keeps attacking fellow Sierra Leoneans.

"Bo na kontri man dem, den nor know dem right, den nor geh natin for do, ya na London," I can imagine Victor telling his friends over pints of beer in a London pub.They would roar with laughter and slap their thighs with enjoyment.

As far as he is concerned some Sierra Leoneans don’t know their rights especially in a huge metropolis like London.But Victor, I am sorry to say is about to find out that some people know how to fight back.

From our initial investigations we have heard that Victor hangs out with other Sierra Leonean journalists in London like Winston Ojukutu-Macauley, Desmond Davies and Theo Williams. Unconfirmed reports say he is also a close buddy of Sorie Fofana, the Press Attache at the Sierra Leone High Commission in London.

He is also the unofficial photographer of the International Association of Sierra Leoneans Abroad(INASLA).I wonder why these people are not cautioning Victor over his cyber criminal behaviour.

Or maybe they dont actually read the horrible stuff on his website? We will soon find out because the best way to dig out who is behind a criminal is to take him to court. Then his friends will come out of the wood work to appear in court with him in solidarity.Then you will know them. We know that in Freetown Victor has friends like Sahr M’bayo, David Tam Mbayo, Umaru Fofana,Christo Johnson and Kelvin Lewis and that he is constantly in touch with them.

It’s possible that the people whom Victor has been brutalising on his website will be on the look out for him at the next INASLA event in London or the upcoming Sierra Leone independence party April 26 or the next Krio wedding or birthday bash where he will surely be on hand with his camera, snapping away,smiling, bobbing and weaving.While thinking about the next character assassination article on his website.

What will he do if he is challenged at one of these venues by one his victims? Run? Call for help? Right now he is not attending the meetings of the Exiled Journalists Network. I hear he is afraid of encountering certain people. Why is he afraid? Is he guilty of something? Can Victor really hide in London and peacefully continue his criminal activities without being found out? He seems to have a lot of contempt for the London police, doesn’t he?

More on this interesting character later.

PS: To London residents: Please send us any photos of Victor Sylver you may have. Press freedom has limitations and responsibilities. We have received too many complaints about this cyber criminal. It’s time for the world to know about him and the people behind him. You might be the next victim, so send those photos.Thanks.