Families Reject Compensation For Murdered Relatives

By Edwina Sia Janga

Several families whose loved ones were murdered in August following the violent protests during that period have rejected the government’s compensation of N Le 20,000 (20 Million Old Leones). According to some of them, most of whom reside in the Northern City of Makeni and the East end of the capital city of Freetown no amount of money is commensurate to the lives of their loved ones.

One of the families that rejected the government’s offer is the family of the late Hassan Dumbuya popularly known as Evangelist Samson

They spoke to this medium in a telephone interview following what many of them describe as a clandestine burial of those who were murdered.

Isatu Kamara a family member of one of the murdered citizens said her husband Alimamy was never part of any protest. According to her, he had gone out to do his normal business when the shoot-out occurred and he sustained a fatal injury.

“No matter what the situation was security forces should not shoot randomly at unarmed civilians they could have arrested those who were part of the protest, if they had acted professionally my husband would still be alive,” she said.

Alimamy left behind three school-going children and an aged mother who has no source of livelihood.

Reports from family members of the opposition APC strongman express similar sentiments. They maintain that Samson was killed by state personnel after the August 10 incident. They, therefore, say it is misinforming for government to categorise him as a victim of the August 10 protests.

Meanwhile, the 27 murdered civilians have been buried at Waterloo. This is not the first time Sierra Leoneans have been killed and buried in such a manner, the onslaught at the Pademba Road Correctional Centre that left over 30 people dead is a typical example.