** Updates IFEX alerts of 28 January 1999** (CPJ/IFEX) – On 3 February 1999 at 3:00 p.m., Abdulai Jumah Jalloh, news editor of the independent newspaper “African Champion,” was killed by a West African Peacekeeping Forces (ECOMOG) soldier in central Freetown. Jalloh was in the company of “African Champion” editor Mohammed D. Koroma, en route […]
** Updates IFEX alerts of 28 January 1999**
(CPJ/IFEX) – On 3 February 1999 at 3:00 p.m., Abdulai Jumah Jalloh, news
editor of the independent newspaper “African Champion,” was killed by a
West African Peacekeeping Forces (ECOMOG) soldier in central Freetown.
Jalloh was in the company of “African Champion” editor Mohammed D.
Koroma, en route to print the newspaper at the John Love Printing
Company near the State House when a Sierra Leone Civil Defense Force
(CDF) officer named Abass saw Jalloh and stated that Jalloh resembled
someone who owed him money. Abass then approached a group of ECOMOG
soldiers who were nearby and had a discussion with them out of earshot
of Jalloh and Koroma. The ECOMOG soldiers ordered Jalloh and Koroma to
approach the area where they were discussing the matter with Abass. The
soldiers told Jalloh that Abass had identified him as a Revolutionary
United Front (RUF) rebel and that, according to Abass, Jalloh had been
responsible for setting houses on fire in Kissy, in the East End of
Freetown. Jalloh denied the accusation, as did Koroma, who also told the
ECOMOG soldiers that Jalloh was actually living
with him because Jalloh’s house in Kissy had been burned by arson a few
weeks earlier by RUF rebels.
The ECOMOG soldiers refused to accept Jalloh’s and Koroma’s statement of
defense, stating that the CDF officer had no reason to lie and therefore
it must be true that Jalloh was an RUF rebel. Koroma was also warned
that if he defended Jalloh any longer he would be executed. An
unidentified ECOMOG officer then took Jalloh aside and executed him at
point-blank range.
Jalloh was buried at the Ascencion Town Cemetery on 4 February 1999.
Local journalists are trying to meet with ECOMOG officials to discuss
the case and implement measures that would prevent such a situation from
occurring in the event of a future arrest of a journalist. An attempt
was made by local journalists on 8 February 1999 to have such a meeting,
but no one was available at the ECOMOG offices at Cockrill Millitary
Headquarters or at the Wilberforce Barracks where they had been directed
by ECOMOG officers at Cockrill.
Koroma wrote a letter on 11 February 1999 requesting an investigation
into the killing to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists. The
letter was also sent to the ECOMOG High Command, Sierra Leone
Presidential Affairs Minister as well as numerous media houses in
Freetown.
