The Independent Investigation Panel

C/o Campaign for Good Governance

11a Old Railway Line

Tengbeh Town

Freetown

His Excellency the President,

Dr Ernest Bai Koroma

State House,

Freetown

30th September 2011

 

Dear Sir,

Submission of the final report of the Investigating panel on the September 9th 2011 incidents in Bo

We thank you and the principals of our various institutions for affording us the opportunity to contribute to the well being of our country.

Sir, as you instructed in the meeting on Saturday 10th September 2011 the Investigating Panel set to work to find out about the stoning of the SLPP Flag-bearer, the burning down of buildings and the shooting and injuries sustained on the 9th September 2011 in Bo.

It was a challenging exercise, and under normal circumstances we would have asked for an extension of the two week deadline. However we were mindful that the nation was eagerly awaiting this report.

Your Excellency we now present our findings to you, along with recommendations which we kindly request that you pay special attention to.

Lastly sir we kindly request your permission to make the report public.

Please be assured of our highest considerations.

Table of Contents

Acronyms

Executive Summary

1. Background


2. Operational Plan


3. Overview


4. Findings


5. Conclusion


6. Recommendations


ACRONYMS/ABREVIATIONS

AIG Assistant Inspector General

APC All Peoples Congress

ASP Assistant Superintendent of Police

BGH Bo Government Hospital

Brig Brigadier

CGG Campaign for Good Governance

CID Criminal Investigation Department

CSM Civil Society Movement

CSP Chief Superintendent of Police

DISEC District Security Committee

DO Discipline Officer

Dr. Doctor

Hon. Honourable

IRC-SL Inter-Religious Council Sierra Leone

LUC Local Unit Commander

MIA Minister of Internal Affairs

NDA National Democratic Alliance

NFF National Fire Force

ONS Office of National Security

OPS Operations

OSD Operational Support Division

PC Paramount Chief

PMDC Peoples Movement for Democratic Change

PPRC Political Parties Registration Commission

PROSEC Provincial Security Committee

Rtd. Retired

SLAJ Sierra Leone Association of Journalists

SLP Sierra Leone Police

SLPP Sierra Leone People’s Party

SOC Scene of Crime

UN United Nations

UPA Urgent Personal Affair

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

On Friday 9th September 2011, the flag bearer of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Brigadier (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio was on a ‘Thank You Tour’ in Bo when he was hit on the head by a stone resulting in a head injury.

The incident led to the burning of buildings, shooting and wounding, and the death of a motor bike rider.

On Saturday 10th September 2011 His Excellency the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma convened a meeting at State Lodge attended by heads of the security services and Civil Society leaders. The President ordered the setting up of an Investigative Panel with a two week mandate to look into the stoning of Brig. Rtd. Maada Bio, the burning down of buildings, the shootings, injuries and death.

The Investigating Panel set to work on Monday 12th September 2011 and moved to Bo where witnesses were listened to and suspects interviewed.

It was established that the SLPP “Thank You Tour” procession in Bo was legal and authorised.

The Panel found out that the stoning was carried out by APC youths, and the burning down of buildings were carried out by supporters of the SLPP. The shootings were done by the OSD personnel in Bo and it resulted in one dead and twenty three people injured including two police personnel. The stabbing of the APC Regional Chairlady South was also identified.

The Panel also found out that senior police officers of Bo Police Division were out of station and there was no operational plan.

Key recommendations were made with regards the operations of the Police, political party activities, role of the media and civil society amongst others.


1. BACKGROUND
 

On Friday 9th September 2011, it was reported that the flag bearer of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) Brigadier Rtd. Julius Maada Bio was stoned on the head resulting in a head injury. This allegedly led to rioting in the Bo Township, burning down of the All People’s Congress Party (APC) office, the residence of the APC District Chairperson, Mr. Sheik Sahid Sillah, and the office of ‘Di Pa E Yai”. Shootings also erupted which allegedly resulted in the death of a bike rider and the injury of a number of persons.

Consequently, on Saturday 10th September 2011, the President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma convened a meeting at State Lodge comprising the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of
Defence Staff, The Chairman of the Political Parties Registration Commission, the Ministers of Defence and Internal Affairs, the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, the National Coordinator Office of National Security, the Executive Director Campaign for Good Governance, the Chief Fire Officer National Fire Force, the Chief of Staff State House, the Secretary to the President amongst others at which the above issues were discussed.

Subsequently, the President directed that an Independent Investigation Panel be constituted with immediate effect with an evidence-led mandate to investigate and provide a report on the following areas.

a. The stoning of the Sierra Leone People’s Party flag bearer Brigadier (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio.

b. The burning down of buildings in Bo.

c. The shootings resulting in the death of an individual and the injuries of a number of persons.

d. Any other related Issues.

The aim was to ensure prosecution and also proffer recommendations that could forestall any future occurrence of this nature in any part of the country within two weeks (12th to 26th September 2011).

A. Composition of the Panel

The following organizations constituted the Panel:

• The Sierra Leone Police (SLP)

• The Office of National Security (ONS)

• National Fire Force (NFF)

• The Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC)

• Campaign for Good Governance (CGG)

• The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ)

• The Inter-religious Council – Sierra Leone (IRC-SL)

• Civil Society Movement (CSM)

2. OPERATIONAL PLAN

It was agreed that Mr. Kelvin Lewis of SLAJ serves as the Chairperson, Mr. Lucien Momoh of the PPRC in charge of Administration and Logistics and Ms. Valnora Edwin of CGG as
Executive Secretary and the investigations were led by Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Alfred Karrow-Kamara.

The panel agreed on the following;

a. Signing of the Terms of Reference

b. Visit to Brig. Rtd. Julius Maada Bio at his Freetown residence.

c. To pay visits to local and political authorities in Bo township as a confidence building measure to explain the Panel’s mandate and solicit their support in ensuring public
cooperation in providing appropriate information that could enhance the work of the Panel and ensure its success in lieu of its stated mandate.

The panel visited:

o The Paramount Chief,

o the Resident Minister South,

o the Mayor, Bo City Council

o The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Southern Region.

o All functional political parties - PMDC, SLPP, APC and NDA.

o Civil Society Organizations, South.

After these confidence building courtesy calls the group embarked on the following activities:

d. Visited and established contacts with the injured admitted at the Bo Government Hospital (BGH).

e. Visited the crime scenes and collected evidence.

f. Conducted interviews, and obtained statements from witnesses and victims including those admitted at the hospital (BGH).

g. Witnessed the exhumation and examination by the consultant pathologist Dr S.O. Koroma.

h. Entertained appropriate Information from the general public as sources of useful leads for the investigators.

i. Solicited recorded evidence in the form of video clips, audio recordings, pictures etc. from reliable public sources.

j. A Press Release was issued admonishing the media against publishing and broadcasting judgmental commentaries related to the 9th September 2011 incident in Bo.

The Panel agreed on the following guiding principles;

• Adherence to the Terms of Reference

• Ensuring witness protection as an integral part of the process

• Ensuring confidentiality, objectivity and professionalism throughout the investigation.

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