Female lawyer Henrietta Kargbo has accused police officers at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of assault, intimidation, and threats, after being invited there following a report by the newly elected president of the Bar Association Tuma Gento
It is further alleged that Kargbo and her colleagues, who accompanied her in solidarity, were reportedly attacked and molested by the police.
According to Kargbo, the altercation occurred when she attempted to document an assault on a fellow female colleague by male officers.
Kargbo recounted “I was chocked, pushed and eventually put under gun point by three men at the CID — all of whom I can very well identify — today, 12th June 2024. Two of the said men were in OSD uniform, and the other who wore casual clothes I am informed is a driver at the CID.
It is of essence to note that RPG, the head of CID was also present at the scene shouting that any lawyer who refuses to leave the CID compound should be pushed out and/or arrested.
The said “driver” who at a point held fastly to me, notified me that I was under arrest and swore to his mother that I will sleep in police custody. When I demanded to see the fiat of the AG authorizing my arrest, he locked eyes with me and shouted in my face, in the presence of RPG that “ no law nor dae wae say r need AG e permission for arrest you and I will prove that today!”
This was all due to my attempt to capture video evidence of two male officers who jumped on and physically assaulted a fellow female colleague.
My phone was confiscated by the officers and I was forced by the Cyber Unit to delete all videos taken at the CID before it was eventually handed back to me, an hour later.
My collarette was ripped off my neck and I was called names by officers as we (myself and other colleagues) were escorted out of the CID compound.
I am still in pain from the tight grips of men who are about two times my body weight. If it were not for the grace of God and efforts of fellow colleagues, I would have been killed or unlawfully detained at the CID today.
This happened to me in broad daylight, and if it can happen to me it can happen to you.
At this point it is apparent that to be a lawyer today in #SierraLeone is not only to fight for justice but it is to fight for your life.”
