Calculated Ploy To Violate Constitutional Rights …Hon. Aaron Koroma Warns DG Massaquoi & Others

By Desmond Isaac Macauley
During a recent Public Accounts Committee hearing, Honorable Aaron Aruna Koroma raised serious concerns over the decision by the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), the Office of National Security (ONS), and the Sierra Leone Police to mount checkpoints and barricades across the country.
He cautioned that, this directive, set to take effect on August 31, 2025, could infringe upon the rights of citizens if not properly justified or legally grounded.
Hon. Koroma pointed out that, there are already existing and valid means of citizen identification, such as voter ID cards, passports, and driver’s licenses, which can be used without resorting to physical roadblocks.
He emphasized that while encouraging citizens to carry valid ID cards is important, it should not come at the cost of their fundamental freedoms.
“I think using institutions to enhance compliance with possession of ID cards would be important,” he noted during the session.
He further reminded the committee and the security institutions of Section 18 of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone, which guarantees citizens the right to freedom of movement. He stressed that unless Section 29 relating to a state of emergency is invoked by the President and duly approved by Parliament, any move to restrict movement could be deemed illegal and unconstitutional.

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