By: Mohamed J. Bangura
The Sierra Leone Police have announced that 11 people have been arrested and charged in connection with a riot at Kroo Town Road, Freetown, on Sunday, September 13, 2026, during which a woman died amid a police response.
The Regional Commander for Freetown West, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Sylvester M. Koroma, disclosed this on Wednesday, September 16, during the weekly police press conference held at Police Headquarters in Kingtom, Freetown.
AIG Koroma said the incident stemmed from a dispute between youths from Kossoh Town and Kroo Town Road following a football match played at Parade Ground.
According to him, the match was part of a knockout competition, with Kossoh Town defeating Kroo Town Road.
He explained that after the match, a member of the Kossoh Town community reportedly went to Kroo Town Road to attend a burial ceremony while wearing a Kossoh Town football jersey.
The presence of the jersey allegedly led to an attack on the individual by members of the Kroo Town Road community. The man reportedly sought assistance from members of his community, resulting in a confrontation between youths from the two communities.
AIG Koroma said the police received an alert about the disturbance and responded after youths had gathered and were allegedly throwing stones.
He said the police used teargas to disperse the crowd, but a woman died during the police response.
“We felt very bad whenever we lose anybody because they are family,” AIG Koroma said, while expressing sympathy to the family of the deceased.
The Regional Commander acknowledged the challenges associated with the use of riot-control equipment, noting that such materials must be handled carefully to prevent unintended consequences.
He said the police would investigate the circumstances surrounding the woman’s death and the wider incident.
AIG Koroma further disclosed that the police had engaged stakeholders in the Kroo Town Road community and would visit the family of the deceased to express their sympathy and support.
“We will be going to the family of the deceased and have arrangements,” he said.
According to AIG Koroma, 11 people have been arrested and charged in connection with the riot.
Three of the suspects were allegedly found in possession of offensive weapons, including stones, cutlasses and other materials. They are facing four counts of riotous conduct, disorderly behaviour, lawlessness and carrying unlawful weapons.
The remaining eight suspects are facing three counts of riotous conduct, disorderly behaviour and lawlessness.
AIG Koroma appealed to members of the public, particularly young people, to exercise restraint and avoid allowing football-related disagreements to escalate into violence.
He said football is intended to promote entertainment, unity and community interaction and should not become a source of conflict between supporters.
The Regional Commander also urged communities to cooperate with the police whenever disputes arise, stressing that officers responding to violent situations are human beings and are not deployed to deliberately harm members of the public.
He said the police would continue engaging community stakeholders to prevent similar incidents and ensure that football-related disagreements do not develop into wider public disorder.
The police engagement with the affected community and the family of the deceased, he added, forms part of efforts to address the incident, maintain peace and strengthen cooperation between the police and communities in the Western Area.
The incident has also renewed calls for football supporters and community members to exercise restraint, particularly after competitive matches, and resolve disagreements peacefully rather than through violence.