November 18, 2016 By Andrew Ngebuva (Intern)
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Rtd. Major Sengu Koroma has disclosed to newsmen at the weekly Ministry of Information and Communication press briefing that two people have been arrested and detained by the police for allegedly inciting the public on social media platforms.
The Deputy Minister, who refused to disclose names of those arrested said the duo posted on social media that there was going to be a demonstration and that people should stay at home.
Although there is no legal instrument in the country that guides the use of social media, but the government has been using the Public Order Act of 1965 to clamp down social media users.
Major Koroma, however, noted that all rumours making the rounds on social media platforms that people should stay at home as a result of planned demonstration on the street were baseless and unjustifiable.
He further stated that all rumours that were on social media were being created by some unscrupulous and unreasonable sierra Leoneans that wanted to create chaos in the country.
“Investigations are ongoing and if those people are found guilty of the said crime, they would be prosecuted and punished according to the law,” he said.
He advised Sierra Leoneans to stay calm and move about their normal businesses, stating that government would ensure that all citizens and their properties are secured.
He admonished that every citizen who wants to protest should take police clearance and states the reasons for the protest.