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Imprisoned
July 19
Edison Yongai, The Point, IMPRISONED, LEGAL ACTION
Yongai, editor of the independent newspaper The Point, was arrested by five plainclothes Criminal Investigations Department (CID) agents at the newspaper's editorial office, which the agents searched. The arrest was in connection with a story titled "Corrupt Ministers" in the July 18 issue. Yongai was taken to CID headquarters, where he was interrogated. On July 23, he was charged with seditious libel. He was released the following day after paying bail in the amount of 10 million leones (US$11,000). On Aug. 8, however, Yongai was arrested again, by order of the High Court. The Court set new terms for his case, demanding a higher bail. Yongai was unable to pay the additional bail and spent the night in Pademba Road Prison before being released on Aug. 9. Charges against Yongai were unofficially dropped before his scheduled hearing date of Oct. 10.
August 28
Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, Expo Times, IMPRISONED, HARASSED
Gibril Koroma, Expo Times, HARASSED
Ten Central Investigation Department (CID) officers searched the editorial offices of the Expo Times for "subversive documents" and arrested publisher and editor in chief Shaw and news editor Koroma. The search and arrests were in connection with an Aug. 28 story about the Sierra Leone government's interception of a message from rebel leader Foday Sankoh of the Revolutionary United Front. The message contained instructions to his forces to begin fighting, which would effectively put an end to a cease-fire in Sierra Leone's civil war. CID agents failed to uncover any documents related to the article. Koroma was released from CID custody one hour later. Shaw continues to be detained without charge at CID headquarters. In a letter to President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, CPJ asked for Shaw's unconditional release and the cessation of CID harassment of journalists.
December 18
Ibrahim Seaga Shaw, Expo Times, IMPRISONED
Charles Roberts, Expo Times, IMPRISONED
Expo Times publisher and editor in chief Shaw, and acting editor Roberts, were arrested and detained at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). They were released on Dec. 23 and ordered to report regularly to CID. The arrests were in connection with an article in the Dec. 18 issue of Expo Times about an alleged coup attempt, which had been announced by government radio. Expo Times reported that police were seeking to arrest a number of army officers and Steven Bio, a local businessman and older brother of former head of state Julius Maada Bio.
For more information contact africaweb@cpj.org