The Claimants were residents of remote rural villages in Sierra Leone. They brought claims for battery, false imprisonment, negligence and other torts arising out of the brutal repression of protests by the Sierra Leonean Police (with the support and assistance of the Defendant) in 2010 and 2012. Although the Court acknowledged the widespread use of excessive and unlawful force, and made a number of adverse findings with respect to the conduct of the Defendant (including its failure to take reasonable steps aimed at mitigating the risk of such violence), the Court found that the claims were not made out.
Richard Hermer QC, Chris Buttler and Eleanor Mitchell were involved in this case.