IN THE COURTROOM
The Shoot Out At Koidu Holdings… A Journalist’s Account To The Jenkins-Johnston Commission Of Inquiry.
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Feb 1, 2008, 03:17

On Tuesday 29th January 2008 in Freetown, Journalist and Acting Chairman of the Association of Journalists on Mining and Extractives, Theophilus S. Gbenda testified before the Jenkins-Johnston Commission of Inquiry on the disturbances between the People of Kono vs. Koidu Holdings.

Reporting, he said Koidu is relatively calm and quiet now after the spate of gunfire that rocked the diamond rich town following the protests of Thursday 13th December 2007 that resulted to two people dead and several others wounded.

The message was very clear as it reads on this placard

During that fateful morning, the protest was staged by the aggrieved property owners of the land to vent out their anger and frustration over what they referred to as the non-commitment of the Koidu Holdings Limited (KHL) to fulfill its corporate responsibilities.

The demonstration occurred after a 24-point resolution of the people was violated by KHL and later followed by a twenty-one day strike notice to the KHL authorities.

The failure of KHL to act promptly caused the people to stage what were initially intended, peaceful demonstrations within the KHL blasting perimeters in order to stop the blasting ahead of the scheduled strike action on 14th-15th December 2007.

Peaceful demonstrators...displaying their placards in Kono

On Thursday afternoon when the KHL were about to carry out their usual blasting, scores of armed police officers acting under the command of the Local Unit Commander, Joseph Bai Kabia, took up defensive positions to prevent the protesters from entering the KHL facilities. LUC Joseph Kabia in the company of the 9th Brigade Commander in Kono, Lt. Col. Mansaray left the scene without putting the situation under control.

As soon as LUC Kabia and Lt. Col. Mansaray left the scene, the police officers went on the rampage firing tear gas canisters at the protesters with the intension to scaring them away. When the armless protesters took to their heels, the blasting resumed. Three blasts took place without considering the safety and security of the protesters and other onlookers including journalists who were still within the blasting perimeter. 

Provoked by the blast and the police actions, the protesters re-grouped and started pelting stones and other harmful materials at the police and the KHL facilities. The ensuing exchange of stones and tear gas between the protesters and the police began clashes that later saw the latter running out of gas and started firing live bullets into the air with the intension to scare away the advancing protesters. The firing did not cow the protesters away as they advanced.

By this time, the situation has intensified and the police became panicked and started firing live bullets directly at the protesters, wounding about ten people, two of whom were later confirmed dead by medical officials at the Koidu Government Hospital. There are unconfirmed reports about five more killed around the nearby bushes where they had sought refuge, and their bodies dumped in pits. The District Medical Officer in Kono confirmed that the two police victims died of direct firing. This also included the wounded who are said to be victims of live bullets fired by the police. But what made things worse was the fact that the police did not only used live bullets, but firing them at low range and directly at the protesters and areas where they knew could be refuge points. This situation further provoked the protesters reacting angrily against the police by descending on the Tankoro Police Station and partially destroying its glass fittings. 

Despite the casualties suffered by the protesters and notwithstanding the excessive force used by the police, they remained focused and nearly succeeded in overrunning the police until military reinforcement was sent in on the request of LUC Kabia. The military reinforcement was necessary after it became apparent that the police were far from being in control. 

Lt. Col. Mansaray’s military personnel acted like the police went bizarre and crazily firing lives bullets at the protesters, though in the air. Many people were arrested by the police in collaboration with their military counterparts who used unwarranted force on the protesters. Those arrested were mercilessly beaten, striped partially naked and locked up in police cells.

Before 7: 30 pm, the police and military personnel deployed at strategic positions across the township, ahead of a hurriedly imposed curfew some 30 minutes later. Residents around the KHL blasting area fearing for their lives fled their homes and left their properties at the mercy of the gun looting military and police officers. 

After the incidents, a government delegation was dispatched from State House in Freetown to the township the next day. The delegation routinely inspected areas such as the Koidu Government Hospital and the Koidu Holdings facility to see the casualties and damage done to the premises.

The government delegation at a meeting ordered the KHL to cease operations forthwith until further notice, quoting State House to have authorized them to suspend the company’s operations. In addition, the KHL officials were also summoned to an emergency meeting at State House. It is yet unclear what the thrust of the proposed meeting was but what is clearly becoming understandable according to impeccable sources is that, the government intended to use the incidence as good reason to place a moratorium on mining activities (especially the ones undertaken by giant mining companies like KHL) in Kono. 

The government delegation comprised of the Deputy Defense Minister, the Deputy Minister of Information, Mr. Mohamed D. Koroma, the Minister of Mines, Mr Abu Bakarr Jalloh and the Chief Adviser to H. E. Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. The four men held a public meeting where assurances were pledged on behalf of government that in as much as it is endowed the primary responsibility to protect the interests of legitimate investors, it will however not do so at the expense of the masses and ordered the lifting of the curfew thereby returning life to normal in the Koidu township.

It should be noted here that the rapid deployment of armed police and military personnel throughout the township did not only create fear into the minds of the people but also sparkled a reminiscent of the decade long rebel war that affected Kono district more than any other in the country.

It is a clear indication that the horrible things that happened in Koidu on that fateful day would have been averted had the LUC been wise enough to take the appropriate decision at the right time. What the protesters had demanded was suspension of the blasting by KHL. Some of the protesters who spoke to me said had the blasting siren switched off, they could have dispersed, but it was not done so as KHL insisted continuing blasting on police clearance.

In such a volatile situation, a wise LUC was expected to mediate between the company and the people and probably asking KHL to show understanding and suspend the blasting on that day in the interest of peace.

Rather, he ignored this and went ahead giving orders to KHL to carry on with the blasting. An internal memo circulated by KHL, indicating that the police had given them the green light to blast, confirmed this.

Shortly after the blasting, the situation went out of hands with protesters holding placards, some of which read: “Kono people say NO to Koidu Holdings”, “Help us papa Government”, “Why are we slaves in our own land”, “We cry for Justice – Who will help us”) etc. It still remains unclear as to who gave the police officers guarding the KHL facilities the order to shoot live bullets at the protesters. However, what is clear is that they lost command structure and were in a vulnerable situation, having run out of tear gas in the face of advancing protesters. Some of the officers were in sympathy with the protesters while the others were over excited and bloody to shoot and kill for KHL at the expense of the masses.

The pelting of stones and other missiles against the protesters by the local KHL workers acting on the instructions of their bosses also added salt to injury.

The hostile relationship between the protesters and the police and KHL workers is one serious negative impact of the unfortunate incident. The lack of confidence in the police (especially the LUC) and the KHL workers regarded as sons of the soil by the wider population in Tankoro is another disappointment that has now become a problem. Those sons of Kono in the mining outfit who collaborated with their bosses have been branded as traitors. Because the LUC failed to act appropriately, it is therefore fair to say he bears the ‘Greatest Responsibility’ of what happened.

Lt. Col. Mansaray of the 9th Brigade too shares the blame. He collaborated with LUC Kabia. On the scene of the protesters, I heard assurances from the protesters that they will disperse the scene if the blasting siren was switched off but he failed to advise the LUC on the security implications should KHL goes ahead with the blasting. However, he underestimated the situation and I heard him assuring the LUC if the situation goes out of hands, he was ready to send in military reinforcement to put things under control.

Therefore, it was not surprising that he led the military reinforcement that carried a crack down on the protesters.  

There are unconfirmed reports that some of the KHL expatriates, most of  them have military background, were armed with deadly weapons during the riot, and that they did fire live bullets against the protesters. 

Amongst those that suffered casualties are, Aiah Momoh who was shot in the head, Musa Momoh, shot in the stomach, Maka Jatty a school boy, aged 16 had fractured ribs and lungs caused by bullet wounds, Ibrahim Bockarie a photographer was shot in the foot, Safea Gbanie, an Okada bike rider sustained deep wounds in the head, Sahr Foday, a Tipper attendant at KHL was shot in the knee and Aiah Sam, a school boy, aged 18) was shot in the throat with bullet retained.

The Government delegation gave One Million Leones to the bereaved families and took responsibility for the relocation of two of the victims referred for better treatment at the Choithram Hospital onboard a helicopter.