During a jampacked press conference held on Friday 15th March 2024 at the Living Word of Faith Outreach Ministry International, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Sierra Leone (PFSL) expressed concern about the increased spate of attacks on Pentecostal Churches in Sierra Leone.
The President of PFSL, Bishop Akintayo Sam-Jolly, said with grave concern that they draw attention to the deteriorating conditions surrounding the well-being and peaceful existence of Pentecostal Churches in Sierra Leone.
He said tensions are rising, as Churches and Ministers are being disenfranchised, and there is little or no recourse to justice on some of the matters being reported to the police. He pointed out that there is grave concern about some of the matters being taken to court, and how they are being addressed.
“Sacrilege, desecration, destruction, and violence go on against Churches, land matters are being overturned, all of these happening in increasing numbers in clear view of the authorities, and yet very little or no conclusive justice is being meted out. These acts have a great propensity to result in people taking things into their own hands, as they feel marginalized,” he said.
He emphasized that they have boasted about religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence as a nation. They desire to see this maintained, as it is in the best interest of them all.
Bishop Akintayo Sam-Jolly outlined some of the issues that they face, including churches having their legally purchased lands taken from them through unsatisfactory processes, law enforcers not prosecuting government offenders and others who assaulted Christians on their property, the freedom of worship being infringed upon, Christians being taken to court unduly, desecration of worship centres by community-based people, malicious damage to Church edifices, arson, the Bible being torn and burnt with no apology and no reaction from authorities, though they know of it, some perpetrators being left free on purported health basis, arrested offenders being granted bail on the pretext of receiving calls with orders from higher authorities, demolition of a church, where the worship houses of other religions are left untouched, and much more.
“These are a few of the issues that have gone against the Church, and some are ongoing. Without proper actions being taken to defend those affected, this situation presents itself as a coordinated lack of proper response to matters affecting the Pentecostal Community in Sierra Leone,” he said.
While PFSL appeals for calm and that no one resolves to take matters into their own hands, Bishop Akintayo Sam-Jolly added “We call for justice and that such religious inequality is not left to degenerate to what has happened in other nations.”
He concluded by asking that redress mechanisms be put in place for fairness and the timely addressing of matters about the welfare of the Pentecostal Community.
“We will request an audience with relevant authorities, as we hope that these concerns will be given due attention. Desiring an amicable settlement of issues, we call for the review of past and ongoing matters,” he called.
