By Sallieu S. Kanu
The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is gravely concerned about death threats directed against citizens and state functionaries on social media.
These threats are aimed at causing the targeted functionaries’ insecurity and serious discomfort, the police said in a statement it put out on Wednesday. “The threats are also intended to blackmail and instill fear in people’s minds, thereby distracting them from performing their sacred national duties.”
The SLP notes with dismay that although these utterances and social media attacks are being authored by some Sierra Leoneans residing in the diaspora, yet other bloggers resident in Sierra Leone are the ones amplifying such messages using various social media platforms.
It must be noted that by the provisions of the Cybersecurity and Crime Act, 2021, a person who shares any information that has the tendency to jeopardize national security commits the same offence as the one who originally authors such information.
The police said in the statement that “the public should take note that such despicable behaviour is unacceptable and does not fall within the realm of freedom of speech or human rights.”
The SLP is therefore reminding any
person(s) who are engaged in this unsavoury behaviour to desist forthwith or be ready to face
the full force of the law.
The SLP is reminding members of the public that it has the capacity to track, detect and expose anyone who is engaged in authoring and/or sharing dangerous social media posts, including death threats.
“The public should rest assured that the SLP remains alert, committed and has the capacity to provide security for everyone in Sierra Leone at all time. All are therefore entreated to go about their normal lawful activities and refrain from all aspects of lawlessness and indiscipline.”
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