By: Hafsatu Z Bangura
The Sierra Leone Police has on the 11th May 2022 in a press release expressed dissatisfaction of a video clip making the rounds on social media of gross misconduct of a civilian manhandling a police officer on Tuesday 10th May 2022 along the Siaka Steven Street Kroo town Road Junction.
In the video it could be seen that the perpetrator Ibrahim Bangura dragging a police officer depicts the act as a Criminal offence.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Brima Kamara, on a telephone interview with A-Z disclosed the unfortunate turn out of this event.
He said that the police officer was on duty of bike raiding where bikes are not allowed to enter the CBD area and as such considered to be an offence.
He continued that a bike entered the CBD area and was intercepted and questioned when civilians showed up and ordered the police to let go of the bike rider though the bike rider told them that it was between him and the police officer and as such citizens should not interfere but onlookers and passersby quickly created a scene.
He said onlookers then attacked the police’s bike that was when Ibrahim Bangura out of nowhere attacked the police officer and manhandled him disgracefully despite pleas from people to let go of the police officer fell on deaf ears to him.
He made mention that this has been a usual commotion ongoing between the SLP, the bike riders and civilians and that civilians should stay away from police interrogations with these bike riders and that there has been a law banning these bike riders from entering the CBD as there have been provisions made for them to use the hillside bye pass roads to avoid such conflicts with the police, civilians and they themselves the bike riders he said.
He was asked if there has been enough sensitization of the police to civilians and bike riders on the operations of bike raiding he replied that these bike riders entering the CBD has already determined to be confrontational with the police to create chaos as they are aware of the rules but fail to adhere to it.
He furthermore said that lawlessness in Sierra Leone between the Police, Civilians and Bike riders is alarming and that such practices in developed countries are respectful of the law.
Mr. Kamara said that the Act of the perpetrator is considered as a Criminal offence Assault on Police section 39 of the SLP Act of 1964.
In his conclusion he said the police officer who was executing his duties sustained injuries on his chest, forehead, and feet and presently undergoing medical treatment.
In the press release the SLP expressed dissatisfaction of the incident of civilians deliberately interfering and obstructing police officers while executing their lawful duties and the public according to the press release is hereby warned to desist from such unpatriotic and lawless Act or risk facing the full consequences of the law as the Sierra Leone Police is poised to continue providing professional policing services for them and also encouraged citizens to be law abiding at all times.
