By Ibrahim Karim Bangura (Tanko)
Information reaching Afric24 Newspaper has confirmed that relatives of the three deceased have rejected compensation fee of Ninty Million Leones (Le90, 000,000) due to poor treatment of Marampa Mining Company (MLL) in Lunsar, Port Loko, District, Sierra Leone. Investigations carried out by this medium revealed that the Marampa Mines whose consensus zone of operations is saturated within the Marampa Chiefdom-Lunsar has breached Section 34 (a) and (b) of The Mines and Minerals Development Act of 2021.
However, compensation under subsection (1) shall be calculated in accordance with the law of Sierra Leone and shall be sufficient to compensate affected or lawful occupants for any lost or damaged asset at full replacement value and (b) economic losses and other negative impacts on livelihoods so that the affected owner(s) or lawful occupants is enable to at least restore their livelihood; which provides laws and instrument for every condition set aside to cater for everyone within the mines area.
It has emerged on the part of the Marampa Mining Company as a result of failing to comply to the laid down dictate of the Sierra Leone mines act for better compensation to the bereaved families of the three victims-Lamin Yillah, a school Teacher, Emmunal Jimmy Vandy, a school leaver and Alimamy Kamara, a businessman, those three young future leaders who lost their lives as a result of forceful drowning at the mines site of Marampa Company Limited.
It could be recalled back in October 24, 2022, which saw the painful death of three promising youth who lost their lives due to illegal fuel transaction between the Marampa Mines drivers and operations. According to Mr. Alhaji Yillah, Elder brother of Lamin Yillah (now deceased), told this press that the six victims went to the mining site to purchase fuel and during the process the six youth and staff of the Marampa Mines went into heavy clash, adding that the agreement alarmed and consequently, hired Mercenary Security guards from South Africa chased the six fatalities and three of them where thrown into the Great Scarcies River at night.
“The three were captured, tortured, and faced with several human rights abuses such as punishment, unlawful detention at the Mines site without informing the law enforcement agency, Sierra Leone Police (SLP) for further Investigations,” he said.
Even though, the Paramount Chief of Lunsar, PC Koblo Queen accepted that Le 90,000,000 was given to the families of the deceases as compensation. But serious allegations were made against him based on the inappropriate arrangements between Marampa Mining Company and the relatives of the deceased because the so-called compensation was done in their behalf according to eye witnesses.
In other sad development, huge effort was established by this medium to reach the Management of the Marampa Mining Company regarding the matter but to no avail.