Lawyers for the Government of Sierra Leone against CARL and Ebola victims at the ongoing ECOWAS court in Nigeria had yesterday told the court that the matter is not of public interest in Sierra Leone.
It will be recalled that the Center for Accountability and Rule of Law and two Ebola Victims had taken the Government of Sierra Leone to court over the misappropriation of Ebola funds.
CARL had filed to the ECOWAS court that an Audit Report on the Management of the 2014 Ebola funds in Sierra Leone had established that the monies meant for the victims were mismanaged by the Government of Sierra Leone and this according to them had amounted to violation against the human rights of the victims to proper Medical and Health Care.
CARL is seeking compensation in damages for the victims and an establishment of a proper healthcare for the hundreds of victims affected by the dreadful epidemic.
The Government of President inherited the matter at the ECOWAS court at but had initially promised to seek an out of court settlement of the matter.
A sudden twist occurred when CARL was notified that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice had entered an appearance at the ECOWAS court on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone on the matter contrary to the earlier position of Government.
Yesterday’s appearance at the ECOWAS COURT saw CARL and the two victims making appearance and requesting the court to bring the matter to Freetown. This was turned down by the court.
But what surprised many was the statement by Lawyers representing the Government of Sierra Leone that the matter before the ECOWAS court which has to do with the human rights of hundreds of our compatriots who suffered from the dreadful Ebola virus is not of public interest in the country.
Hundreds of Ebola survivors across the country have either gone blind or at the point of blindness.The huge international support received on behalf of the victims and survivors for the epidemic was hugely misappropriated by politicians.
It was a subject of whole Audit Report and many officials of the previous government including public servants serving in this present government were implicated in fake and dubious procurement deals for vehicles,/ambulances; equipment, and building of hospitals and payment of essential field workers.
The statement of government which seemed to have downplayed a much serious human rights issue is likely to have mixed reactions back home.