NatuBah Diaries

Big big trouble na small salone.. selective justice 💯 Blackouts 💯 extreme poverty 💯drugs 💯 life really hard na 🇸🇱😭 waiten baim we go celebrate this independent? Duya wuna tell me

Sometimes you might have the right or the power but sometimes letting go or allowing due process is mostly the best approach to a peaceful nation🧏‍♀️

I am a proud citizen of Sierra Leone and my loyalty is to my country, which is demonstrated by the fact that my first marriage, which lasted for seven (7) years, was to an English man, yet I never attempted to apply for a passport to change my nationality. I am currently married to a Danish citizen for over a decade, yet I have never applied for a passport to make me a member of the European Union.

Because of my experiences during the war, which were mentally, emotionally, psychologically traumatic and even devastating, I came to realise the particular vulnerability of the people of Sierra Leone not only through domestic violence but also political violence. Over time, I further realized that the only way the people can be effectively protected in Sierra Leone is through the strict observance of the Constitution, the rule of law, and the full respect of our human rights.

I also realized that the fate and destiny of Sierra Leone should not be left at the hands or mercy of men alone. It was at this point that I realized that in order for our rights to be effectively protected, women should become active players in the political realm of Sierra Leone, holding positions of decision and policy-making, and promoting the rights of the citizens.

This is how I came to start my campaign to motivate citizens, especially women initially, to protect our rights and our bodies by making our voices heard. Furthermore, to make us realise that it is required that women in Sierra Leone must fully and effectively participate in policy as a means of protecting ourselves and the rights of citizens in Sierra Leone.

Judging from the amount of supporters that have been attending court sittings, it is quite clear our message is resonating with the normally timid and underprivileged citizens and has created a significant level of political awareness in them.

I am currently facing two counts in this court which are:
1. Incitement contrary to Law
2. The use of threatening language

From the evidence that has been given before this court, no one has come forward to claim that he/she was the intended victim of my alleged incitement. In fact, the investigator himself admitted that there was no complainant in the matter. That in fact it was the police officers in the cyber unit who, after watching the video in question, took it upon themselves to conclude that my speech amounts to incitement. No witness came to say he or she was incited by my statement. Ironically, even the second witness from the cyber unit categorically stated that he was not incited by the speech after watching the video.

In my fierce determination to protect human rights and respect for the Constitution, I merely made a suggestion of what I believe should be a legal penalty, strong enough to be a deterrent that would stop anyone from even thinking of rigging elections in Sierra Leone in the future. The idea was to express the strong disapproval that can be shown to anyone who would attempt to meddle with the constitutional good order in Sierra Leone by trying to rig elections, which is virtually the equivalent of committing treason.

My statement in question was an immediate response to a question put to me in the course of a surprise interview conducted in the middle of Brima Atuga Mini Stadium where a meeting was being held. My answer was clearly made to show my strong belief in protecting the Constitution and respect for the Constitution. I never told nor intended to incite any person or persons to go ahead and kill anybody, nor did I identify any person or persons that were to be killed. My statement was made to make anyone be afraid to even think of rigging elections and/or violating the Constitution in any shape or form.

It must be noted that throughout the entire video, I never mentioned the name of any particular individual except for Foday Sankoh, and only suggested that anyone who rigs elections in the future should be treated like Foday Sankoh, who was eventually charged to court for attempting to overthrow the government of Sierra Leone.

In the light of the above, I did not incite any particular person to do any particular act. I did not name any particular person to whom any particular act is to be done. If anything, I merely suggested that if anyone rigs elections in Sierra Leone in the future, my recommendation should be what is considered as a suitable penalty to be applied by the state, since it was the state that prosecuted Foday Sankoh. In other words, there is currently no potential victim that my recommended penalty should apply to until and unless elections are held in Sierra Leone, in the course of which it is determined and established that someone rigged the elections—then and only then can we say there is a potential victim of my purported incitement.

In other words, I have neither incited anyone to commit a crime against any person, in which case I cannot be found guilty of the offence as charged.

As a strong believer in the Constitution, realizing that my view could never be implemented, I there and then suggested that anyone rigging elections should be treated as Foday Sankoh was treated, which was to be charged to court and found guilty by saying “dem for treat am lek how dem treat Foday Sankoh… ‘dem’ being the state.”

As far as the count of use of threatening language is concerned, it should be clear to anyone who watched the video that I never used threatening language directed at any particular person. I merely made my own recommendation as to how the state should treat any person that violates the Constitution by rigging elections.

I would like to state that I am a proud Sierra Leonean woman, loyal to my country and with unflinching respect for the Constitution. That is why I stated in the video that the Constitution is “not to be played with,” for too long women have remained unseen and unheard and unable to defend our rights and our bodies.

And any attempt on my part to raise awareness on these issues should not be misinterpreted by any person.

My recommendation as suitable punishment and/or deterrent should not by any stretch of the imagination be taken literally, by virtue of the fact that my recommendation merely reflects the gravity of any electoral sabotage or rigging.

As a firm believer in the Constitution, I would never believe in any form of extra-judicial killing, which is why I referred to the constitutional process that was taken against Foday Sankoh—notwithstanding the fact that I know full well that my recommendation cannot be implemented in any case by virtue of the fact that the death penalty has been abolished in Sierra Leone. In other words, I merely expressed how severely the state should consider acts that are virtually the equivalent of treason, which simply means I cannot in all good conscience and should not be found guilty on both the offences charged.

The saddest irony in all of this is that instead of encouraging and applauding me, the state has chosen to prosecute me—someone who demands full respect for the Constitution, advocates for democracy, good governance, and the rule of law, and seeks to raise awareness among women about our rights and political potential.

I believe in the women of Sierra Leone. I believe that when given the opportunity, we would make effective changes to our society. I believe that by raising awareness of such possibility and potential, I am encouraging the women of Sierra Leone not only to speak out but also to stand up and take our rightful places in the political affairs of our beloved country.

I recognize all the efforts that have been made before me by other women who have championed the rights of citizens, in the hope and belief that whatever personal sacrifice I may be making today, though such sacrifices may not necessarily benefit me as a person, will serve as a stepping stone for the citizens in the future as we march towards equal rights and justice.

By the power vested in me by the God of the universe, of my mother, of Adama, of Sarah, of Mariam, of Khadija Bint-Muhammad, of Patricia Kabbah, of Sia Nyama Koroma, of Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, and of Mama Salone, I pledge my love and loyalty to my country, Sierra Leone. I vow to serve her faithfully and promise to defend her, honour her good name, always work for her unity, peace, freedom and prosperity, and put her interest above all else, so help me God.

LONG LIVE SIERRA LEONE IN UNITY, FREEDOM AND JUSTICE.

🙏🙏🙏

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