By: Fatmata Grace Okekearu | Bo City
A wave of grief has swept across Bo City following the sudden and tragic death of Police Constable (PC) Umaru Mustapha Sannoh, a dedicated traffic officer attached to the Bo East Division. The fatal incident, which occurred on Monday, has reignited urgent calls for road safety improvements along the city’s most accident-prone routes.
PC Sannoh lost his life while performing official duties on the Koribondo Highway, near the Shelmingo Beach Ground a stretch widely regarded by residents and commuters as hazardous. According to eyewitnesses, the officer had just intercepted an unlicensed motorbike and was in the process of escorting it to the police station when he was struck by a speeding tipper truck while attempting to make a turn on the highway.
The collision left the young officer critically injured. Despite prompt efforts by bystanders to transport him to a nearby hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival.
PC Sannoh had recently been reassigned to the Traffic Division after serving in the Cyber Unit of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP). His colleagues remembered him as a humble, disciplined, and professional officer who executed his duties with dedication and integrity.
Speaking at the accident scene, Mustapha Kpaka Jr., Secretary-General of the Southern Region Road Safety Committee, expressed deep sorrow and called for immediate safety measures.
“This is not the first time lives have been lost on this road,” Kpaka lamented. “There is an urgent need for preventive action, including the installation of speed bumps and zebra crossings, to slow down vehicles and improve safety for both officers and pedestrians.”
His plea was echoed by residents and road safety advocates who visited the site, many of whom voiced frustration over the lack of visible traffic-calming measures and signage in one of Bo’s busiest and most dangerous areas.
As investigations into the accident continue, both the Sierra Leone Police and road safety authorities are expected to reassess enforcement strategies and prioritize critical upgrades to traffic infrastructure across the city.
The tragic death of PC Umaru Mustapha Sannoh serves as a stark reminder of the daily dangers faced by law enforcement officers and underscores the urgent need for sustained road safety reforms nationwide.
The Bo community mourns the loss of a life dedicated to public service, leaving behind grieving colleagues and a public forever indebted to his sacrifice.