Albert Baron Ansu
There is a calculatedly ploy to divert attention from the blunder that has created furor over the prison walk out and subsequent disappearance of the voodoo priest Baimba Moiforay.
The sketchy press statement of the Police that two immigration officers have been arrested to make believe that there is progress in unearthing a criminally sensitive incident is standing on thin ice. This is another blunder and very unfair to the arrested officers.
Here are the reasons for the position we have taken on the issue. Every Sierra Leonean is entitled to a passport. The timing of the issuance of the passport matters much in providing an alibi for Michael Momoh Bassie. Fact is that it was before the state declaration of Baimba Moiforay as wanted that the passport was issued to him. This means that there was no criminal conspiracy on the part of the Immigration Officers to aid the escape of the fugitive murder convict.
How then can you charge Michael Bassie with any offense in this matter. This is one of the finest and experienced Immigration officers of over twenty five years’ service at the department that had never been faulted for any malfeasance. He is an asset in that department and stands beyond reproach. Attempting to dent his reputation and criminalize him is very unfortunate.
We expect the Police to do better than this effort in trying to mislead the public into believing that they making gains in proving what has become a scandalous case of compromising state institutions.
Let even for remotest possibility tentatively accept that Immigration issued the passport knowing that LAC was billed for rearrest after it dawn on the state there was a foul play for the granting of presidential pardon. When passport is issued the Chief Immigration officer is supposed to sign, not so? The buck rests with him. So it is safe to say, albeit on that lame possibility that he was complicit in the trump up charge. Why go for the Immigration Director of Western Area and leave out the Chief Immigration Officer? Last time I checked the head of an institution must take the credit and discredit based on circumstance.
The fact that the Police have not in position to provide us details of why they are investigating the Immigration officer is suggestive of evidentiary inadequacy. And this is embarrassing and very unjust to the arrested officers whose innocence is very clear to sane minds.
This knee jerk response of the Police to safe face at the expense of the good reputation of trusted servants of the state is totally unacceptable. Now that it is dawning on the Police that they don’t have anything to prove in criminal culpability of Michael Bassie, this matter must be dropped and the gentleman’s reputation must be restored.
The Police can prove to be professionally savvy when the try to tell us the exact location of LAC doing videos and talking nonsense. They can use technology and other networks to track down LAC. Finding scapegoating from this incident is going to lower the reputation of the Police. Leave innocent Michael Bassie out of this!!!