The ECOWAS Court has ruled that the government of Sierra Leone must pay $15,000 in damages to two citizens, Hassan Kargbo and Mohamed Fornah, for violating their fundamental rights to security during a violent crackdown on protests in 2020. The two individuals had filed a suit to enforce their rights after security forces, including police and military, allegedly used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse unarmed demonstrators, leading to deaths and injuries.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Gberi-Bè Ouattara, on behalf of a three-member panel, found that Sierra Leone had violated the applicants’ rights. The court noted that the Sierra Leonean government failed to defend itself in the case and did not appear before the court, resulting in a default judgment.
The court also mandated the Sierra Leonean government to conduct an investigation into the violence that occurred during the protests in Makeni on July 17-18, 2020, and to prosecute those responsible. Furthermore, the court called for measures to prevent the excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrators in the future.
However, the court dismissed the claim by the applicants who sought compensation as heirs to the deceased victims, ruling that they failed to provide sufficient proof of death and kinship. The applicants had claimed violations of their right to security, right to life, and the right to an effective remedy following the violent events in Makeni, where several victims, including Kargbo, Mohamed Sillah, and Alusine Sesay, lost their lives.
