May 5, 2021
By: PROBLYN JOHN ALPHA (Kono)
Residents of the municipality of Koidu city have accused the police at the Tankoro Divisional Headquarters for been unprofessional and comprising in investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing of Osman Kai Fengai in Koidu on Tuesday 20th April, 2021. Some of the residents informed this medium that although the fundamental constitutional responsibility of the police is to protect lives and properties, but their investigation into the reported killing is contrary to their prescribed duties.
The police investigation only focuses on the killing forgetting that the burning into ashes at least two dwelling houses occurred as a result of the reported killing which also constitutes a major crime that needs police attention. However, the opposite is been done; noting that since they commerce investigating the circumstances surrounding the killing of ‘WIZZY’ no arrest has been made for the burning of the two houses.
The residents further pleaded with the police to be neutral and professional in their investigation as the law and not the individual is supreme.
To this reported allegation the Local Unit Commander attached to the Tankoro Police Divisional Headquarters in Koidu City, Kono District superintendent Franklyn Bawoh maintained that the information about the police being unprofessional and compromising in the said murder issue is baseless, false and unfounded orchestrated to dent the hard earned reputation of the Sierra Leone police in the district, country and international levels.
He underscored that although the police have primacy over the protection of lives and properties of the people of Sierra Leone, they can only intervene or establish a matter when it is been reported. Adding that since the arson occur nobody has gone to the station to make a formal report of it unlike the killing which he said was officially reported by Tamba Senesie who was in company with the deceased prior to his demise.
L.U.C. Bawoh expressed dismay over certain members of the public especially residents of the affected community for not furnishing the police with vital information with regards their investigation into the matter as they are not magicians to know everything. Meanwhile, Superintendent Franklyn Bawoh has entreated all and sundry to share with the police information for the pending investigation and for subsequent investigations.