By Abu H. Kargbo
The Independent Media Commission (IMC), on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, ruled in favour of Journalist Umu Thoronka against the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), following the unlawful termination of her contract in 2024.
The ruling came after several deliberations by the Independent Media Commission, following a complaint received from Umu Thoronka on August 16, 2024, and represented by Paul Kamara, Esq.
”That the termination of Umu Thoronka’s contract was communicated verbally, which was not formal,” IMC stated.
The Commission further noted that SLBC breached the provision that either party could terminate the agreement by giving one week’s notice to the other party, leading to the unlawful termination of the contract.
”That SLBC failed to exercise due diligence in handling the termination of her contract,” IMC accentuated.
Umu Thoronka’s contract which was unlawfully terminated by the SLBC not only denied her rights to secure adequate means of livelihood, fair conditions of service but also contravened Section 8, Subsection 3, Paragraph C of the Sierra Leone 1991 Constitution.
”The health, safety and welfare of all persons in employment are safeguarded and not endangered or abused,” the excerpt of the provision reads.
Eastina Taylor, President of the Women in the Media Sierra Leone (WiMSAL), noted that the ruling is a clear affirmation that women in the media deserve fairness, dignity and respect in the workplace.
President Taylor’s view has supported the findings documented by the 2025 Amnesty International Report about Sierra Leone on a broader scope.
”The rights of women and girls continued to be violated, although legislation outlawing child marriage was passed,” Page 324 of the report.
Umu Thoronka was terminated from her position at SLBC Makeni in July 2024 after she posted a video on her TikTok account. The video depicted an incident in which a woman was publicly humiliated for asking a question during a presidential town hall meeting.
This termination sparked further concerns about recent threats to freedom of expression in the country, despite such right being guaranteed by various legal frameworks, including Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Section 25 of the 1991 Constitution.
“The rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly continued to be restricted, especially around the presidential election period,” Page 330 of the 2024 Amnesty International Report.
The controversial video shared by Umu Thoronka forced her to flee the country and seek exile due to the persistent physical and online attacks she faced.
Another case of enforced disappearances in Sierra Leone was recorded in the 2025 Amnesty International Report.
The report notes that on March 23, political opponent Abu Bakarr Boxx Konteh was forcibly disappeared for nearly three weeks.
Attorney Paul Kamara, who represents Thoronka, welcomed the findings of the Independent Media Commission (IMC), including its ruling for compensation.
“This decision is not just a legal victory; it’s a restoration of Ms Thoronka’s dignity,” Attorney Kamara stated.
The IMC’s ruling in Thoronka’s matter against the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reaffirms the need to prevent further human rights violations in Sierra Leone, which have also contributed to the brutal 11-year civil war according to the findings of the 2004 Truth and Reconciliation Commission, specifically Paragraph 15, Volume 2, Chapter 2, Page 27.