(RSF/IFEX) – The following is an RSF information summary regarding several previously disappeared journalists in Sierra Leone: **Updates IFEX alerts of 4 May, 23 April and 11 February 1999** Christopher Coker: Captured on 6 January 1999 by a group of rebels, Christopher Coker was detained by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) for 171 days. Accused […]
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is an RSF information summary regarding several
previously disappeared journalists in Sierra Leone:
**Updates IFEX alerts of 4 May, 23 April and 11 February 1999**
Christopher Coker:
Captured on 6 January 1999 by a group of rebels, Christopher Coker was
detained by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) for 171 days. Accused by
the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC)/RUF of supporting elected President
Tejan Kabbah, he had been sentenced to death by the rebels. According to the
journalist, he escaped execution because Tina Musa, a rebel officer’s wife,
publicly came to his defence. He was beaten and forced to walk in the nude
during his detention. He had been held at a rebel camp close to Makeni.
Released on 4 July, he has since returned to Freetown.
Momodu Adams:
In January, he was captured with his wife and son in the city of Calaba. He
was taken to Magbontoso, where he was forced to work for the rebels. On 30
April, while he had left to get food outside the camp, ECOMOG soldiers freed
the village. Adams was thus able to return to Freetown.
Maada Maaka Swarray:
A well-known journalist with Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS) radio,
he escaped Freetown after being accused by the government of collaborating
with the military junta. He hid for a number of weeks in Koso Town. In
January he was able to return to Freetown because of the rebel advance. He
remained in hiding in Freetown until the month of July.
Chernon Ojuku Sesay:
An editor with the newspaper “Pool”, he had been sought by the police since
President Tejan Kabbah returned to power, accused of collaborating with the
junta. While a refugee in the village of Mamamah, he was forced to work for
the rebels to survive. He has repeatedly noted that he supported peace
between the rebels and ECOMOG.
