By: Haja Hawa Koroma
The Sierra Leone Police has held its weekly press conference on Thursday 21st July 2022, at the Sierra Leone Police Headquarters, to inform the public through the press on the issue of QNET fraudsters and other issues the police have been handling or addressing throughout the country.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Amadu Mannah, spoke about the emergence of Qnet. These are a set of criminals who have been taking huge sums of money from people, with the promise of providing them with suitable jobs abroad, especially in Turkey. Most of these fraudsters have been caught and arrested and are waiting for a trial in court.
He added that these people have been taking advantage of Sierra Leoneans because they know Sierra Leoneans like to travel abroad.
After brainwashing these people into believing they’ll provide them with better jobs abroad and taking their money, what they do is abandon these people in neighbouring countries like Guinea and Liberia, leaving them stranded to fend for themselves.
And some of the people who are fortunate enough to make it abroad especially to Turkey with the guise of transiting to Europe, actually go there to transport drugs.
The AIG mentioned that they have been engaged in arranging to rescue missions to get back deported Sierra Leoneans from these different countries they rushed to go without proper documentation or for engaging in illegal acts like transporting drugs etc.
AIG Mannah stated that, not too long ago, some Guinean citizens who were victims of these fraudsters were left at Kenema and they had to provide safe passage for them and ensured they safely returned to their country. He added that it is a kind of network that has extended its fraudulent wings to different nations.
Detective Joshua, attached to the CID unit further mentioned that one Sheik Abubakarr Nabil was arrested on the 19th July 2022, by a team from the operations unit who were executing a search at his premises and discovered expired passports, 64 valid passports, together with Labor cards.
The arrested suspect said that he is a Sierra Leonean from Kuwait seeking jobs for Sierra Leoneans. According to him, his business has been established with all legal entities required for registration. But from the investigations conducted by the CID, they found out that they are extorting huge sums of money from Sierra Leoneans and the salaries they are promising them to receive in Kuwait are not even equivalent to what they are extorting from them.
Detective Joshua mentioned another named Foday Koroma claiming to be the Chief Executive Officer of their operations was also arrested and they are helping with the investigations whilst in custody.
Sub Inspector Brima James Musa, from Kenema Eastern region, reported that on Tuesday 19th July 2022 with the consent of the coordinator of the free quality Education Mr J. J Vangahun, the police conducted a massive raid on some schools following the ban on camping of school pupils within school premises during exams.
There were also reports that a girl child was allegedly raped in one of these schools during camping for exams. Seven suspects have been arrested by the police and are helping with the investigations.
A report of the case of unlawful possession of firearms, short guns and ammunitions was also recorded at Daru Police Station Guinea.
While for Freetown west, the Regional Police continues to provide security for parliament.
Furthermore, a fire incident which took place at Fofanah Drive Regent Village was also recorded on the 17th of July 2022. Properties worth millions of Leones were destroyed, however, no life was lost and the area youths put out the fire before the arrival of the fire force. The house owner, Mr Augustine Williams, pointed out that the cause of the fire was as a result of bad electricity. The police are monitoring the investigations.
In addition, an operation has been conducted to remove all squatters around Aberdeen Bridge. These are people who have unlawfully established different kinds of businesses along Aberdeen Bridge Road.
The Freetown West Police have removed them from the said premises to ensure that they don’t turn the route into a business place. Because, if the situation is not handled, more people will see it fit to bring additional businesses and thus overcrowding the area.
The SLP cautions Citizens to continue to maintain peace and abide by the laws of the state and refrain from crimes that may lead them to jail.
