The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has officially invited Thomas Dixon, Chairman of the Guild of Newspaper Editors and publisher of the New Age Newspaper, for questioning—sparking renewed concerns about the state of press freedom and the politicization of law enforcement in Sierra Leone.
The CID’s interest in Dixon follows an investigative report published in New Age and on his X(Twitter) handle, which exposed alleged labor and regulatory violations by Leone Rock Metal Group (LRMG), a Chinese-owned mining company. The reports accused LRMG of failing to pay NASSIT contributions for expatriate staff and refusing to undergo an independent workforce audit, in violation of the NASSIT Act.
Although the company’s initial complaint to the Independent Media Commission (IMC) was dismissed, observers say the matter took a disturbing turn when LRMG allegedly leveraged political connections to push for criminal action against Dixon. Legal sources confirm that a formal invitation was issued to Dixon’s lawyer by the CID, prompting fears that state institutions are being used to settle corporate grievances.
“Instead of responding to the substance of the allegations, the company appears to be targeting the journalist,” said a senior media analyst. “The fact that the CID is now involved raises serious questions about political interference and the misuse of law enforcement to intimidate the press.”
The development has sent shockwaves across Sierra Leone’s media community. While Dixon has not been arrested, the use of the CID to respond to journalistic reporting—especially following an IMC decision—has been widely condemned as an attack on press freedom.
Eyewitness and Gleaner Newspapers described the move as “a dangerous precedent that undermines the autonomy of the press and erodes public trust in democratic institutions.”
“Thomas Dixon is not just a journalist—he’s the head of the Guild of Newspaper Editors and the publisher of a credible newspaper. Attempting to criminalize his work through backdoor political pressure sends a chilling message to all journalists: speak out at your own risk.”
The Guild of Editors has thrown its full support behind Dixon, warning that continued harassment of media professionals—especially by state institutions acting under alleged political influence—threatens to roll back hard-won gains in press freedom.
Sierra Leone has made strides in media reform, including the repeal of the seditious libel law in 2020. However, this case is seen by many as a critical test of whether those reforms are genuinely being upheld—or selectively bypassed when powerful interests are challenged.
As the situation develops, civil society groups are calling for the immediate withdrawal of the CID’s invitation, and for an independent inquiry into the allegations raised in New Age—rather than targeting the journalist who reported them.
