William Fayia Sellu, Inspector General of Police
Cyber law, also known as digital law, encompasses the legal issues related to the use of the internet, digital technology, and online activities. It includes regulations and rules that govern online conduct.
However, it appears as if these guiding principles that regulate our cyberspace are being neglected in our society despite the promulgation of the Cyber Security and Crime Act, of 2021.
Recently, the wife of the Vice Chancellor and Principal of Milton Margai Technical University, Mrs Jestina Kanu shared her ordeal, and what her family has been going through. In her solemn voice, Mrs Kanu noted that her family has been under constant threat via Social Media by some unknown individuals, these individuals have been threatening to wipe out her entire family and also rape her three daughters, she added that these individuals have started visiting the school environment of her daughters, started studying their movements, and they have also gone to the extend to take a photo of their house which they have labored so hard to build. She furthered that her daughters have developed a phobia that they don’t trust anyone anymore.
In a recent conversation with her, she shared with me a message of another threat sent to her husband, which states; “FINAL WARNING, we want you to know that any moment from now your house will be put on FIRE and our aim is to see that your wife and three children killed in that fire. Since you didn’t want to adhere to our request and you are acting very stubborn. We know the love you have for your family, so we will make you feel the pain you will never forget in your life. From The Disgruntled Killers.” Attached to these words was a picture of her three daughters.
She furthered that, all these threats began when her husband took a strong decision to prosecute staff of MMTU who were engaged in money for grades, sexual harassment among female students, and professional misconduct.
Cyberbullying is most often treated as a crime if the defamatory statement is directed against a person in authority and could seriously harm his or her reputation.
Threat to life is something that needs to be treated seriously, it was in this Country we saw the Former Bank Governor Sam Bangura was found dead outside his mansion, and nothing came out of it, it was also in this same country the former Defence Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Samuel Omar Williams was shot dead by unknown gunmen at his home in Freetown, up to date only God knows where his case file is. Most recently, we witnessed the killing of an able police officer in Makeni; Superintendent Matthew Gbanya (Boyca) in his vehicle. To date, no action has been taken to bring the killer(s) to book and his wife and children are left in fear with no authority to support them.
Are we waiting to see the same happen to the few Sierra Leoneans who want the best for this country, and who are morally guided with high integrity to be killed? He protects all students particularly female students from some wicked lecturers.
Leaders like Professor Philip John Kanu should be jealously protected because of his high level of integrity and love he has for this nation, but sadly I guess he is being left alone to protect himself even when he did what he did to ensure quality assurance and maintain a standard for the sake of this country, believing that every student should be treated equally irrespective of his/her gender or ethnicity.
Even though the matter has been reported to the law enforcement agencies and the magistrate Court for action, nothing has been done to date, and the family continues to live in fear.
The ruling in the recent Landmark case: UNIMAK VS Jeneba Mando Kamara, is what the Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Phinlip John Kanu has always stood for, that students must be treated well and with respect.
Speaking to some students at MMTU, they noted that, “they are aware of what is happening and they are expecting those in authority to manage the situation, but in the event, if anything happens to their Vice-Chancellor and Principal, they will take the matter in their hands, we know his family is under all the attacks because of his stance for the right things to be done to we the students by lecturers”, they affirmed. He has been investigated for so many complaints from those who committed crimes against us the students but his complaints has received little or no attention, why? One student lamented with frustration.
It is from such inferences that people heading offices in this country are scared to take tough decisions because they know people will come after them and their families, and they will not be protected. Instead, they will be the ones to be blamed by those above them. Is this how we want to administer this nation we all claim to love?
The flood of complaints and growing concern about Cyber Threats is becoming increasingly alarming, and I am drawing the attention of those in authority who are responsible, to brace up; many are going through depression and some have lost their lives and loved ones because of this modern menace.
I am not in any way prejudicing any matter but the process to bring these perpetrators to book is slow and sometimes it doesn’t even happen.
This begs the question of whether the Police and the Judiciary are playing their part in curbing the increasing rate of cyber threats.
