The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ ) has confirmed that the Sierra Leone Police have returned the personal belongings of Dutch journalist Sophie through her lawyers, Edrina Chambers, in the presence of the Minister of Information and Civic Education.
However, the police have withheld her SD card, citing “security reasons.”
The Minister reaffirmed that Sophie is welcome to return to Sierra Leone at any time, while also stating that the police were fulfilling their duties.
When SLAJ inquired further about the questioning of Sophie, CID boss ACP Allieu Jalloh stated that the police found “a lot of inconsistencies and deception” in her statement. However, he added that her release was a government decision.
-SLAJ Secretariat
