SLAJ President Visits Liberty TV in Show of Solidarity Amid Online Attacks

The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Alhaji Manika Kamara, recently paid a solidarity visit to Liberty Online TV, following a recent controversy involving the station and its female presenters, Mabel Kabba and Kadija Bangura. The visit comes amid growing concerns over alleged online harassment and personal attacks on the two journalists after a contentious interview on the station's Breakfast Show. This show of support highlights the media community's concern for journalists' safety and protection from intimidation.

On 19 October 2026, Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) National Publicity Secretary, Moses Sellu Mambu, appeared on Liberty Online TV's programme, making allegations against journalists Victor Jones of AYV and Thomas Dixon, Chairman of the Guild of Newspaper Editors. Mambu accused the two journalists of conspiring to submit a false report against him to SLAJ. Victor Jones subsequently lodged a formal complaint with SLAJ over the allegations, prompting the association to investigate.

The SLAJ issued a statement on 28 October, stating that its Secretary-General, Edward Fara Marrah, had contacted Mambu to obtain his response. The association found no evidence of a false report submitted by the journalists and rejected Mambu's allegations as unsupported. SLAJ warned against public accusations that could damage journalists' professional reputations and expose them to intimidation.

The controversy extended to the presenters who conducted the interview, with Mabel Kabba and Kadija Bangura facing online attacks and harassment. On 8 November, Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WIMSAL) issued a statement condemning the online attacks, harassment, and smear campaigns targeting the two presenters. WIMSAL expressed concern that the attacks threatened their safety, dignity, professional credibility, and freedom to carry out their journalistic responsibilities.

WIMSAL called on relevant authorities to take steps to protect the journalists and urged social media users to refrain from abusive and intimidating behaviour. The organization's statement highlights the growing concern over online harassment and its impact on journalists' work.

Against this backdrop, SLAJ President Manika Kamara's visit to Liberty Online TV represents a show of solidarity with the station's management and its team amid the ongoing controversy. The visit also underscores the media community's commitment to protecting its members from intimidation and ensuring a safe working environment.

Liberty Online TV shared news of the visit on its social media platforms, expressing appreciation for the SLAJ President's gesture of goodwill towards its management and staff. The incident highlights the critical role that professional associations play in promoting journalists' safety and well-being.

Key points

• SLAJ President Alhaji Manika Kamara paid a solidarity visit to Liberty Online TV following online attacks on its female presenters.
• The visit highlights growing concerns within Sierra Leone's media community about journalists' safety and online harassment.
• WIMSAL condemned the online attacks on the presenters and called for protection and action against abusive behaviour.