By Mohamed KaiKai
The Guild of Newspaper Editors in Sierra Leone (GoNE) on Tuesday condemned what it described as a police “invasion” of the offices of the Voice of Salone newspaper, warning the move could undermine press freedom and investigative journalism.
In a statement, the guild said officers of the Sierra Leone Police entered the newspaper’s offices on June 1 and requested that its editor, David Johnson, accompany them to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The request was reportedly linked to a story published by the paper titled “Mystery Surrounds Alleged Cocaine Seizure at Portee Wharf.”
The editors’ body said it was “profoundly concerned” by the development, describing it as a matter affecting not only the publication but the wider media landscape and democratic space in the country.
While acknowledging the police mandate to investigate alleged criminal activity, the guild stressed that such powers must be exercised within the law and with respect for constitutional protections, including freedom of expression and of the press.
“The publication of matters of public interest, including allegations of wrongdoing, forms an integral part of the watchdog role of the media in a democratic society,” the statement said.
The guild questioned the legal basis for the police action, particularly the decision to summon the editor in connection with a published report, suggesting that journalists should not be treated as investigators or repositories of evidence for law enforcement agencies.
“It is a well-established principle that journalists are not investigators for the State,” it added, warning that such actions could create a “chilling effect” on investigative reporting.
The Sierra Leone Police has not immediately responded to the statement.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of Sierra Leone’s maritime security following recent reports linking vessels that docked in Freetown to major cocaine seizures abroad. Local media have increasingly reported on alleged drug trafficking routes involving West Africa, a region long viewed by international agencies as a transit hub for narcotics bound for Europe.
Sierra Leone has in recent years made efforts to strengthen press freedom protections, including the repeal of its controversial criminal libel law in 2020. However, tensions between authorities and the media occasionally surface, particularly when reporting touches on sensitive issues such as corruption, security or transnational crime.
Media rights groups have warned that police actions perceived as intimidation risk reversing gains made in expanding democratic freedoms and could deter journalists from pursuing investigative stories in the public interest.
