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BRITAIN-SLEONE-MINING-COURT-RIGHTS
Sierra Leone abuse claimants lose UK court case
LONDON, Dec 21, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – A group of Sierra Leoneans seeking damages
from a mining company they accused of being complicit in widespread police
repression voiced disappointment on Friday after losing their landmark legal
case in a British court.
“Our clients are obviously very disappointed by the judgment,” law firm
Leigh Day said in a statement.
“The legal team is now reviewing the judge’s findings and will be advising
the clients in early January as to the prospects of appealing the judge’s
findings,” it said.
The case, brought by 142 claimants seeking damages from Tonkolili Iron Ore
Ltd, alleged company complicity in crimes in the West African country
including the killing of a protester, rape, assault and false imprisonment.
British courts agreed to hear the lawsuit because the iron ore producer
was previously a subsidiary of African Minerals Ltd (AML), which was
headquartered in London before it went into administration in 2015.
The case was particularly unusual as the judge, Mark Turner, conducted
some court sessions in Sierra Leone itself to hear evidence of the alleged
abuses.
But the ruling, which was published earlier this week, found that “the
claimants have not succeeded in establishing liability in respect of any of
the basis upon which they have sought to bring their claims”.
“The defendant is not liable for the acts of the police on any of the
pleaded bases,” the judgment said.
Lawyers for the claimants had alleged that the company effectively oversaw
policing of its mine and surrounding areas where protests turned deadly in
two incidents in 2010 and 2012.
During the violence, sparked by unrest over working conditions and pay, as
well as land seizures and forced relocations, officers fatally shot a 24-
year-old woman, whose uncle is now among the claimants.
Another protesting woman claims she was beaten, raped and suffered a
miscarriage after being flogged and taken to the mine camp by police.
Tonkolili Iron Ore Ltd, which is now a subsidiary of China-based Shandong
Iron and Steel Group Co. Ltd, denied liability for the incidents.
BSS/AFP/RY/1707 hrs