Indians, Indigenes making land claims
February 9, 2021
By Albert Baron Ansu
Residents at Grafton were alarmed in the early hours of past Sunday, when they were rudely awakened by echoes of discharge of tear-gas canisters and hammer pounding of concrete walls.
The Police have been engaged with state land grabbers, constructing stores beneath high tension power lines.
The road leading to Jui Junction from Regent Village, precisely in the precinct of the property of the Indian Sethi Brothers, adjacent Total Gas Station in the CRS Community was the epicenter of demolition exercise undertaken by the Police.
They had to barricade the road, with burning tyres emitting black smoke that intermingled with the tear gas to create panic among the residents.
The Police were demolishing stores that had been constructed along the Right-of- Way, sprawling the entrance of the Indian Sethi Brothers.
Report say the Police had long ago warned that the string of construction on the right-of-way was illegal but those constructing were heedless, relying on some connections. There was noticeable fervor among the builders in the aftermath of the replacement of the Minister of Lands and County Planning, Dr. Denis Sandy; an indication that those who have been constructing the illegal structures assumed that tension from government has been relaxed.
But the unexpected happened as the Police moved in their huge numbers, armed gun and axes. In the day, it was reported that they encountered some youths associated with the land tussle and a fracas ensued involving an unidentified senior Police officer, who was almost assaulted.
Many residents say when the Police came about 3:00 clock Sunday the morning, some youths were encountered pelting stones to thwart the demolition exercise. This warranted the Police use of force in tear gas canister discharge.
More than twenty youths have been arrested and those whose stores have been demolished have complained about missing items and monies, a claim that cannot verified.
One Politician, Maada Songha, the Commissioner designate of the National Commission for Social Action reportedly visited the scene and warned those affected by the demolition exercise to remain peaceful as investigation is carried out to establish whether the Police operation had the blessing of the Sierra Leone Roads Authority or the Lands and Country Planning Ministry.
Meanwhile, there are suggestions that the Sethi Brothers, who have bought CEMENCO and the Cocoa Cola factories, influenced the Police to help protect their land that had been encroached upon by land grabbers.
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