By Chris Jonny
Police in Sierra Leone on Monday visited the offices of the Voice of Salone newspaper and asked its editor to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over a story alleging a cocaine seizure at Portee Wharf.
Officers arrived at the newspaper’s office at around 2:00 p.m. local time and requested that the editor accompany them to provide a statement regarding the publication titled “Mystery Surrounds Alleged Cocaine Seizure at Portee Wharf”.
According to the police, the request was aimed at obtaining additional evidence to support an investigation into the alleged incident and to identify any individuals involved.
The editor advised officers to seek information directly from Portee Wharf, saying the alleged incident was already widely known within the local community.
Police said headquarters had not received any official report of a cocaine seizure at the location and therefore required further details from the newspaper to substantiate the claims.
The police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Sierra Leone’s maritime security following recent reports linking vessels and ports in the region to international drug trafficking networks.
Media rights groups have previously raised concerns about police actions involving journalists, warning that requests for reporters to provide evidence or sources could undermine press freedom and discourage investigative reporting.
Sierra Leone repealed its criminal libel law in 2020, a move widely welcomed as a step toward strengthening media freedom, although tensions between authorities and journalists persist, particularly over reporting on sensitive issues such as corruption and organised crime.
