By: Ilyasa Baa
Waterloo, in the Western Rural which is one of the fastest growing districts in the Republic of Sierra Leone has of late come under serious criticism for harbouring criminals who perpetrate acts of violence and disturb innocent people residing in the village.
The Headman of Waterloo, Leslie Oseh Whenzle has reiterated that Waterloo has been peaceful noting that most of the criminals claimed to be based in the village are not really based in Waterloo but in its outskirt communities which people are mistaking to be part and parcel of Waterloo.
He said, for example, where White Boy was arrested for allegedly cutting off people’s ears recently is not part of Waterloo but Jorpor Farm which is outside Waterloo towards an area called Palokoh. He said the criminal boys concentrate in Waterloo being a full-swing business centre where peep-pocketing, snatching of mobile phones and other heinous crimes have become the other of the day.
He said Waterloo has a rich history dating back to 1819 when the village was founded. He blamed migration due to the war as a factor responsible for the high concentration of people in the village. He narrated that after the war some people returned to permanently stay around Waterloo leading to the establishment of the outskirt communities.
The Public Relations Officer for the Local Unit Police Partnership Board, Alimamy Kamara said it is not easy to eradicate crime in Waterloo considering the high spate of Kush taking amongst the youths who form the majority of the population of the village.
He noted that modalities are being put in place to reduce the crime rate and make Waterloo a safer place for all. “Our Community Safety Volunteers (CSV) are giving their fullest cooperation to weed out the criminals from the communities in order to restore the past glory of the village.
According to the Media Officer of the Waterloo Police Station, ASP Allieu Jalloh, their patrol team is in top gear to respond to distress calls from residents. He called on residents to furnish them with accurate information to crack down on criminals so the village would not continue to be seen as a safe haven for criminals.
It could be recalled that road accidents claimed the lives of seven residents last month in Waterloo where street trading continues to be an issue.