By: Haja Hawa Koroma
The Sierra Leone Police has addressed the matter of a tweet that was published by Dr. Samura Kamara, alleging that he was blocked from exiting Constituency 056 and also that the sitting government has mobilized military and prison vehicles, threatening to shoot on sight and to arrest every APC supporter.
A press statement was released by the management of the Sierra Leone Police on the 14th June 2022, highlighting some statements in an attempt to contradict the aforementioned tweet.
According to the press statement, the Honorable Vice President was on a working visit to the Ferengbenya mines situated in Bumbuna, Samaia Bendugu Chiefdom from June 9-11, 2022. And on the 11th June 2022 he was exiting the chiefdom when the Regional Police Commander of the North-East region was informed that Dr. Samura Kamara was en route to Samaia Bendugu in Constituency 056, to participate in an All People’s Congress (APC) campaign rally, slated for that day.
Considering the fact that it was a very challenging terrain from Bumbuna to Samaia Bendugu, the Regional Police Commander contacted the Tonkolili District Council Chairperson who was also the former District chairperson of the APC, Madam Yabome and asked her to persuade Dr. Samura to reschedule his visit to the chiefdom as it could trigger a public disorder situation which the police were not prepared for.
Furthermore, it was stated that this action of the Regional Commander was established because of two things. One because Dr. Samura being a senior citizen may likely travel with an entourage he might not have full control over their actions and also because Dr. Samura was not among the automatically qualified members or indigenes of the Tonkolili District and national officials of their party that could freely enter the said Constituency 056 and campaign therein as per the arrangement of the PPRC.
The press release further stated that, Madam Yabome was the one that misconstrued the whole situation and instead threatened and insisted that Dr. Kamara would unfailingly head for Samaia Bendugu on that day.
Upon Dr. Samura’s arrival at the Police checkpoint alongside a large group of supposedly APC supporters wanting to pass through and proceed to Samaia Bendugu, the Regional Commander then decided to engage Dr. Samura and explained to him the reasons why it was not advisable for his followers to proceed to Samaia Bendugu at that time.
Whilst they were discussing, Honorable Mohamed Bangura, who was part of the group of APC supporters, instructed his driver to ride over the Regional Commander if he dares to stand in their way to stop them. According to the press release the Regional Commander was only saved by a stroke of luck, otherwise he would have been a dead man by now as the driver obeyed the Honourable’s instructions and drove the vehicle directly towards him and he ended up sustaining some injuries.
After this encounter they all bulldozed their way through the checkpoint and two other checkpoints and then drove to Samaia Bendugu. They used the same bulldozing tactic when they were stopped to search their vehicles. It was further stated that all the actions of Dr. Samura and the APC supporters on that day and place were aimed at provoking the Police to act otherwise.
The police therefore mentioned that the allegations made by Dr. Samura Kamara to ‘shoot on sight and arrest every APC supporter is false. They further mentioned that their organization is responsible to enforce the relevant laws and that every man is responsible for the consequences of their actions. They also wants the public to know that the SLP always work towards the maintenance of law and order in the state and to remind the public that no man is above the laws of a state and the law enforced by the police would therefore hold everyone to account for his/her actions deemed to have breaches, violations and or infractions of the law.
