A very serious matter concerning death threats sent to a well-known publisher of the OWL Newspaper, Alhaji Dauda Musa Bangura is the latest topical issue doing the rounds.
It all started after the CEO and Proprietor of the OWL Newspaper published an investigative story on the potential fears raised by people around the Pepel Railway and Port facilities that the deal between ARISE Company and the Government of Sierra Leone was not done in the interest of the people of Sierra Leone and that the government must revisit the arrangement and involve the people this time round.
After the publication hit the newsstands, one social media blogger Sahr Bockarie aka Memphis called up the OWL boss, threatening to kill him if he continues writing about the issue. It all culminated to the OWL CEO now fearing for his life, taking into consideration that a few months ago, his vehicle was vandalized at his home in similar fashion after he published a critical story which did not go down well with certain people.
Against this background, the issue is so serious that SLAJ, IMC, the international community and other protectors of journalists needs to step up to address this issue especially so as the country is on the verge of holding a very crucial elections later this year.
Sahr Bockarie aka Memphis revealed to the Owl CEO that he is the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of ARISE Company. He also asked the CEO to send his Orange Money number where he would receive a token for his efforts. But the CEO being a no-nonsense man and a man of high prestige refused and upheld his hard-earned reputation.
His refusal to bow to the dictates of the ARISE PRO and his handlers is the reason why the OWL CEO’s life is now in the balance. Every effort must be made by the authorities to ensure that they bring to book the excesses of such people in society who believe that making death threats is the only way they can engage people on matters such as this one.
Messages of death threats were sent to him on his WhatsApp but were later deleted by the same person.
As we went to press, the OWL CEO is calling on all the relevant authorities to do all in their power for him to be reassured that his life is not in danger.
See Pictures of how the Owl CEO and Publisher vehicle was vandalized by unknown assailants after he received a threat following another critical news report he published.
