However section 20 sub-section (1) of the 1991 Constitution says a person should not be subject to any form of torture, punishment or other treatment which is inhuman or degrading; which has raised lots of concerns about what the ACC did which is a violation of the rights of the accused persons.
Speaking to AYV the citizens noted that they are not against the ACC trying to combat corruption but that the ACC should have done so in an appropriate and lawful manner rather than publicly displaying them.
They added that the displaying of the accused persons by the ACC as a way of trying to enforce moves to eradicate corruption in the country as stated by section 7 of the ACC Acts of 2008 shows that they did not allow the court to take precedence in the matter.
“According to our experience the ACC should have first investigated the matter before disgracing people of such capacity; they should have rather called for an increase in the salaries of the teachers,” the vexed citizens explained.
They went on to state that the ACC and government should rather display corrupt politicians and rapists rather than teachers whose salaries do not reflect the huge volume of work they do.
Examination malpractices over the years have been seen as a tool that hinders the progress of the nation and undermines government’s efforts in promoting socio-economic development of the nation.
The Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone since its establishment has the mandate to take the lead in building a culture of human rights including respect for individual responsibilities which maintains human dignity for all. But what is their response to this inhuman act by the ACC?
Vice-Chairman Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Victor Idrissa Lansana Esq. said they condemn the action taken by the ACC against the accused people despite the fact that examination malpractices undermine the competitiveness of students.
The Commission according to Mr. Lansana considers such act as inhuman and degrading and runs contrary to Section 20 (1) of the 1991 Constitution.
He added that the court has the jurisdiction to try such cases in order to find accused persons guilty or not rather than the ACC publicly displaying the suspects in the manner that they did which “was erroneous.”
