There is relish in committing crime but the criminal even with the knowledge that it is a wrong affecting the society or some other persons hopes to go scot free. This is obviously an ill-conceived idea. A whole raft of wrongs have been perpetrated against society by citizens who are knowledgeable about the laws that keep the country ticking. Some are even done with impunity. Cicero said “The greatest incentive to crime is the hope of escaping punishment”. How right he was!
Insinuations are rife that some of those culpable of crimes against the state should be let off the hook. The rationale for such a curious situation according to its advocates is that there is a portentous threat to the peace. The fact is that a cabal in this country has been laboring under the false idea that they not only own Sierra Leone but that they are the only competent group that can govern the country.
In spite of the horrible state of the economy inherited by the incumbent government at least one pro-government press has bandied the idea of forgiveness. It will be recalled that when the APC took over the reins of government in 2007 there was also a Transition Team and Commissions of Enquiry which insincere citizens are carping at now because the boot is on the other leg. APC apologists should not lose sight of the fact that their Commissions of Enquiry did not result in their intended catches so there was no need to raise a hullabaloo. As a result there is no need for fretting by the ACP stalwarts if they don’t have any skeletons in the cupboard.
For forgiveness to take place even in religion there are preconditions which the boisterous APC advocates want the SLPP government to lose sight of. With regard to the Christian religion forgiveness is based on confession of one’s sins. This does not seem to be the case for even Christian APC members. Rather there has been an air of arrogance and even braggadocio as if nothing should happen by way of restitution and justice. Regretfully there is scaremongering. Unfortunately for the APC in opposition politics is not the arena for forgiveness. It is a zone of nemesis of which they should be prepared.
In the global village we cannot be oblivious of what obtains with regard to the fate of other Heads of State who did not handle their remits to the satisfactions of their citizens. The latest in this endeavor is the former Head of State of Pakistan who virtually flew into jail from abroad. Earlier other Heads of State of Brazil, South Korea, South Africa and others have been held accountable. If citizens of these countries can hold their Heads of State to account why should Sierra Leone be an exception?
The APC should accept the fait accompli of the loss of power and face justice. Those who would be found innocent will certainly be set free. ECOWAS can still serve as troubleshooter without condoning injustice.
Unfortunately for the miscreants the biblical 70 x 7 forgiveness injunction is not enshrined in our 1991 Constitution. Let justice be done without fear or favour though Sierra Leone perish.