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26 Mar 2019

Sierra Leone: Communities affected by diamond mining win right to sue OCTÉA Group companies over alleged human rights abuses

Attorneys representing 83 households affected by Koidu Ltd's diamond mining activities filed proceedings to get the right to sue Octéa group companies over alleged human rights abuses, including displacement, property damage, soil and water contamination, loss of income from farming, deaths and injuries after violent repressions of demontrastions. The Koidu mine is owned and operated through a complex corporate structure of Octéa companies, most of which are not registered in Sierra Leone. The plaintiffs relied on Panama Papers documents to argue that Octéa companies and Koidu Ltd operated as one entity. On March 13, 2019 the High Court of Sierra Leone found in favor of the plaintiffs recognising their right to serve lawsuits against all six group companies at Koidu Ltd's registered address in Freetown, Sierra Leone.