August 25, 2021
By: Aruna Kamara (Bo)
Traders at the Manjama Market in Bo have expressed their dissatisfaction over the way and manner they are in perpetual fear of criminals including gamblers who are making life very uncomfortable for them at the market.
Speaking to A-Z Newspaper in a downbeat mood, Matta Coomber said that their monies sometimes get mysteriously missing in the process of selling their goods and this has become a grave concern that needs to be thoroughly addressed by the security sector and the traders union.
Josephine Seibure, another trader said that there are lots of gamblers around the market who come around them in disguise, monitoring them and capitalizing on traders less concentration to the money bag but to the customers coming around to buy.
Madam Seibure said that traders coming from nearby villages around Bo who come with their goods for sales are most times falling prey to the criminals in the market.
“Our children who come around to help us sell are victims of circumstance as the gamblers will use their pranks to lure them into playing gamble, and this is rampant at the Manjama and the Bo Central Market” Juliana Sesay said.
The Chairlady of Manjama Market in Bo, Jeneba Conteh said that she have got several complaints of criminals disturbing the traders at the market.
“This has become worrisome that should be nipped in the bud now by the Police, the Bo City and the traders Union,’ she noted.
“I have told them to be watchful when selling their goods. If anybody is coming around, you should keep eyes on them as thieves will come in the disguise for buying in order to execute their criminal plans,’’ she said.
A-Z Newspaper has reliably learnt that the Bo District Executive of the Sierra Leone Traders Union is aware of such ugly development and has informed the police to visit Manjama Market regularly in order to arrest the criminals who terrorize the traders.
It could be recalled that the Regional Police Commander in the Southern region summoned stakeholders to a meeting to curb lawlessness and criminality in Bo and the southern region as a whole.
Assistant Inspector General Police (AIG) Aiah Edward Samadia reechoed that he is implementing the 21st Century Police to contain lawlessness and criminality in his area of Operation.