By Ibrahim Mansaray
Freetown, 18th August 2025 — Victor Kamara was acquitted last month by a Freetown court due to insufficient evidence. But before seeing a courtroom, the 29-year-old spent 18 days in an overcrowded cell at Lumley Police Station, west of the capital.
Kamara was arrested for alleged conspiracy to commit larceny a capital offense in Sierra Leone, under which suspects can be held for up to 10 days before being charged, per Section 17 of the Criminal Procedure Act and Section 80 of the 1991 Constitution.
He was held nearly twice that long. “I had to misbehave before the Police charged me to court,” Kamara told Truth Newspaper.
His case is not isolated. Over detention and rights violations are “widespread and systemic” in Freetown, said Abdul Fatorma, Chief Executive of Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI). Kamara also accused Police of denying him food. “I survived by begging from visitors and inmates whose relatives brought food. The water was dirty,” he said.
Osman Sankoh and two colleagues were detained at the same station for 19 days after a verbal dispute with community members. “We were never fed. When we pleaded for food, they told us to keep quiet,” Sankoh said. They were released without charge. “Officers said only the community leaders who had us arrested could decide when we’d be freed. We sat and slept on the floor.”
Such treatment raises serious human rights concerns. The Constitution and international instruments guarantee humane treatment for all, including suspects and prohibit torture or degrading treatment.
Fatorma called the violations “a disrespect for our own law, disregard for the rule of law, and a lack of commitment to due process.”
Since April, CHRDI has monitored Police stations weekly. Now in its 14th week, the group reports “human rights abuse, violations, and poor holding conditions” across eight stations in East, West, and Central Freetown. “We uncovered disturbing images and reports of force and ill-treatment,” Fatorma said.
Both male and female detainees reported torture and abuse of power. Francess Kpaka, 26, was arrested for alleged larceny and held at Central Police Division for 17 days. “No statement was taken. I wasn’t allowed to call anyone. When I questioned the officer, he slapped me three times,” she said. She was released without charge but had to surrender her phone to the complainant.
Gibrilla Sesay, detained for a month over a larceny case, said he was handcuffed to a pole and beaten with a belt. His complainant was a government official. Sesay described a torture room at Lumley Police Station called “Benghazi,” named after a notorious facility at the Operational Support Division (OSD) headquarters, which Amnesty International has called to be shut down.
Fatorma said prolonged detentions and torture influenced by political figures are “widespread.”
Journalist Abdul Aziz Samura said he was held for nine days at CID headquarters after publishing an article about a government official in 2024. He was released without charge.
Human Rights Commissioner Hassan Samba Yarjah confirmed overcrowding and overdetention in some stations. He said most cases they identified involved rape and sexual penetration, where the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) asks Police to delay charges. “This is also a violation,” he said, adding that the Commission engages Police to address such issues. “When we take it up, they act immediately.”
CHRDI noted improvements since their monitoring began and commended Inspector General William Fayia Sellu for facilitating access. Resource constraints also contribute to overdetention. Kamara said he was twice taken out for court but returned to his cell. “First, they said no vehicle was available. Second, they said it was faulty.”
Commissioner Yarjah said the Commission also advocates for increased Police budget. “There is a need to raise it,” he said.
Fatorma called for training in case management and human rights. “My rights were violated. I hope no one else faces this,” Kamara said. “Suspect treatment must improve.” Police did not respond to Truth Newspaper’s request for comment.
