Sierra Leone's Vice President Sam Sumana, who doubles as chairman of the police council, has apologized to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, SLAJ after last month's police unprovoked assault on five of its members in two separate political squabbles, according to a report in Concord Times.
Acting SLAJ president Philip Neville said after his institution decided to give a news blackout to activities of the Sierra Leone police, the Vice President intervened and summoned his executive to a meeting which eventually settled the impasse.
 "Vice President Sam Sumana the following day held a joint meeting with SLAJ and the police and both parties presented their cases," he said adding that during the meeting it came out clearly that the police were at fault.ÂÂÂ
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Neville said: "After listening to both sides Sam Sumana rendered his unreserved apology to the journalists and appealed to the association to lift the news blackout."
He said Sam Sumana have consented to compensate the five journalists who lost their items during the fracas.
"We will communicate with our membership to lift the news blackout on the police. We had the upper hand during the negotiation. SLAJ and the police will issue a joint press release today," he said.
Click here to read the full report, posted on allafrica.com.
