Freetown, 3 March 2025 – Human rights organizations AdvocAid and the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) have expressed deep concern over the Government of Sierra Leone’s failure to comply with a landmark ruling by the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, one year after the verdict was delivered.
The ruling, handed down on 28 February 2024, found Sierra Leone responsible for multiple human rights violations against Mohamed Morlu, who was shot in the abdomen by police during a peaceful student protest in Bo in March 2017. The court ordered the government to compensate Mr. Morlu and investigate the officers responsible for the shooting.
However, despite repeated engagements by AdvocAid and IHRDA, the government is yet to implement the court’s orders.
“This continued inaction is a grave disregard of the rule of law and Sierra Leone’s commitment to human rights,” said Allson French, Executive Director of AdvocAid. “The judgment was not just about compensation for Mr. Morlu — it was a call for police accountability and systemic reform.”
The case was filed in August 2022 with the support of AdvocAid and IHRDA, after years of unsuccessful attempts to seek justice within Sierra Leone’s domestic legal system.
The court ruled that Sierra Leone violated Mr. Morlu’s right to security of the person and his right to be free from torture, as guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention Against Torture.
One year on, Mr. Morlu remains without the compensation awarded to him, and no police officers have been held accountable.
“Sierra Leone’s refusal to implement this judgment sets a dangerous precedent for impunity in the region,” said Dr. Musa Kika, Executive Director of IHRDA. “If governments can ignore binding decisions from the ECOWAS Court without consequence, then justice becomes an illusion for victims of state violence.”
AdvocAid and IHRDA are urging the government to:
– Promptly pay the compensation awarded to Mr. Morlu.
– Conduct a full and transparent investigation into the officers responsible for the shooting.
– Implement broader police accountability and security sector reforms to prevent future violations.
The organizations stressed that Sierra Leone’s failure to act undermines the country’s credibility as a democratic nation committed to human rights.
“As Sierra Leone positions itself on the international stage, this case is a litmus test of its commitment to human rights and the rule of law,” French added.
AdvocAid and IHRDA vowed to continue supporting Mr. Morlu in his pursuit of justice and to hold the government accountable for police violence in Sierra Leone.
