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This mêlée not only saw the premature closure of normal business, destruction of property costing millions of Leones, but also the harassment, beating, humiliation and other acts of barbarism meted out to different political party supporters and a host of journalists who went to cover the incident.
"These incidents have really brought back some ugly scenes during the just concluded decade-old war," wrote a local tabloid, The Focus, in its Tuesday editorial
Though Sierra Leone police media director, Inspector Ibrahim Samura, denied allegations at a press briefing that police personnel molested and assaulted journalists and also destroyed their properties, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and other media related organizations not only dismissed the police innocence claim, but also accused the police of excessive use of force, directly targeting journalists.
According to The Exclusive, stones were coming from different angles around the State House.
"Police officers assigned to State House reportedly used maximum force to disperse the protesters and journalists who formed part of the crowd," it reported.
In its Friday publication, Standard Times deplored the unprovoked attack on innocent civilians including journalists, allegedly by the security forces, "whose ressponsibility transcends political persuasions, ideological leanings or ethnic differences".
It said the police had the statutory duty to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of violence "no matter the status of that person".
Meanwhile, the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has set up an investigation team comprising personnel of professional standards (Complaint Discipline and Internal Investigations Department- CDIID) and members of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) to look into allegations made by journalists.
The journalists have alleged that they were assaulted, molested, manhandled and brutalized by some police officers and other security personnel at State House and the vicinity of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) Headquarters in Freetown.
It is to submit its findings to the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice for legal advice.
According to The Trumpet the investigation and publication of findings and recom mendations should be concluded within four weeks effective August 18, 2008 to September 15, 2008 and the files submitted to the Director of Public Persecution (D P P) for further action.
For Di People, The New Vision and other local tabloids reported that terms of reference have been established by the SLP and SLAJ to ensure a successful conduct of the investigation.
According to their publications, all junior and senior police officers that have been accused of perpetuating violence on journalists/media personnel and those d irectly involved in quelling the politically-motivated violence between some members and supporters of the two parties on that day must not be part of the investigating team.
All journalists/media personnel who were directly involved in or affected by the incident must not be assigned by SLAJ to represent it on the panel.
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