By Sulaiman Aruna Sesay
The Sierra Leone Police have been in the news recently over their investigation of Kush dealers in the country. While it is commendable that they are taking steps to combat drug trafficking, many citizens are concerned about their methods, believing they are not effective, and in some cases, border on harassment.
The Sierra Leone Police have been raiding houses and detaining individuals suspected of being involved in the sale of kush. While this effort to eradicate the sale of drugs from the society is commendable, it is not sufficient to base an investigation on mere suspicion. The police should be relying on credible intelligence information to make their cases more solid. Otherwise, their raids may come across as arbitrary and unjust.
Recently, some citizens have complained that their rights have been violated during these raids, especially when it comes to use of force and the detention of innocent people. In a democratic society such as Sierra Leone, the police must ensure that they use lawful and peaceful methods to carry out their investigations, lest they undermine the rule of law.
It is important to highlight that many of the Kush dealers operate with the complicity of corrupt law enforcement officials who receive bribes in exchange for turning a blind eye to illegal activities. If the police want to be successful in their fight against drug trafficking, they must start by taking down these corrupt officials.
The citizens of Sierra Leone are not fools, and the police should not treat them as such. While the fight against drug trafficking is a noble one, the methods used by the police must be transparent, lawful, and motivated by intelligence, not just suspicion. The police need to also be mindful of the rights of citizens and avoid unnecessary use of force and detention. The investigations should also be extended to include corrupt law enforcement officials.
