The Detention of Professor Sheikh Umarr Kamarah at the CID Headquarters

THE SIERRA LEONE WRITERS FORUM
C/0 25 Thomas Street – Freetown
PEN SIERRA LEONE OFFICE
Email:sierraleonepen@gmail.com

 

The Inspector General of Police
George Street
Freetown

15^th June 2020

Dear Sir,

The Detention of Professor Sheikh Umarr Kamarah at the CID Headquarters

We are writing for and on behalf of the Sierra Leone Writers Guild, PEN Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Writers Forum and a number of concerned citizens at home and abroad concerning the arrest and detention of Prof. Sheikh Umarr Kamarah, the Community Liaison Head of S L Mining Lunsar, and a professor of linguistics at the Virginia State University in Petersburg, in the United States. He is a writer of high international standing and has to his credit many outstanding publications which include research papers, literary criticisms, book reviews, texts books, book chapters,  translations and works of fiction. He is also the proprietor of Lunsar University in Sierra Leone.

We are deeply concerned that since the arrest and detention of Prof. Sheikh Umarr Kamarah at the CID Headquarters on 3^rd June, no attempt has been made by your office to explain to the public the reason or circumstances for his arrest and detention. Worse still, he has not been informed in plain language of the facts and grounds for his arrest and detention.

This has given us the impression that your office has chosen to place his personal liberty and freedom entirely at your disposal. In view of this concerned members of the public have had to go around seeking the intervention of influential personalities whom they believe could bear pressure on you to release him. We do not harbour the thought or belief that this country is on such an odious path of tyranny and anarchy. Neither do we wish your office or any agency of Government to give the Government such an uncharitable image. Your office is exercising its executive powers not only on behalf of the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, but for and on behalf of all the citizens of this country.

We know for a fact that you are under a duty to conform to, observe and apply the letters and spirit of the Constitution and the principles of the rule of law in all your actions. The rule of law denotes absolute supremacy or predominance of the law. Therefore, under it, the Constitution is the supreme law from which you must gauge the validity of your actions. It is in that spirit that we implore you to either release Prof. Sheikh Umarr Kamarah forthwith or bring him before a court of law to answer to charges you may have against him.

The handling of the case of Prof. Sheikh Umarr Kamarah is throwing up this country to the international community in a bad light. Unfortunately, for no fault of his and except for his belief that those he has placed in privileged positions will keep the faith and conform to his good precepts and precedents, Mr President is held to be complicit and responsible. We do not only condemn such a disservice but call upon you – and all those concerned – to retrace your steps and uphold the sanctity of the liberties of the citizens of this country. This is why we are writing this letter and hoping that you will give it all the attention it deserves.

As writers, we have other options and modes of expressing our concerns, but consider this letter to you as the necessary first step. We hope that this would bring about a prompt and favourable outcome.

Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.

Yours sincerely,

1. Oumar Farouk Sesay
2. Moses Kelvin Fembeh.
3. Abu Bakarr Kamara
4. Mohamed Fuad Kamara
5. Gbanabom Hallowell
6. Vickie Remoe
7. Philip Foday Yamba Thulla
8. Amara Sesay
9. Emmanuel Joseph
10. Ahmed Koroma
11. Shaka-sylla Conteh
12. Hamidu Ansumana
13. Ibrahim S. Bangura
14. Issa Kanu
15. Devon French
16. Princess Mildred Kailey
17. Njanguma . S. Momodu
18. Ibrahim M Fofanah
19. Aisha Fofana Ibrahim
20. Kayode Robbin-Coker
21. Alieu Bundu
22. Mohamed Buya Kargbo
23. David Williams
24. Elizabeth L.A.Kamara
25. Sam Kargbo
26. Abdul Koroma
27. Christopher Hagibu Kalokoh
28. .Joan A Kainessie
29. Kemurl Fofanah

30. Sibbie Alpha Sibbie
31. Samuella J. Conteh
32. Mohamed Tafsir Fofanah
33. Rev Alusine Diamond-Suma
34. Moses Kainwo
35. Chernoh Alpha M. Bah
36. Danny Strasser-Williams
37. Abdulai Walon-Jalloh
38. Syl Cheney Coker
39. Fatmata Kamara
40. Joseph Lamin Kamara
41. Celia Kodjo Dadson
42. Ambrose MassaquoI
43. Ibrahim Abdullah
44. Evereth Bernice Bangura
45. Abdul Karim Bah
46. Mohamed Pa-Momo Fofanah
47. Annie Missah
48. Mohamed Sheriff
49. Dr Jedidah Johnson
50. Yusiff Kamara
51. Andrew Keili

Cc

The Speaker of the House of Parliament
President, Sierra Leone Association of Journalist
MP for Lunsar
Awoko Newspaper
Politco Newspaper
Concorde Times Newspaper