The Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. TuradSenesie is very keen to ensure justice and a lasting solution to the land dispute in Hastings that resulted in a fatal shooting on Thursday April 15 2021.
Immediately the incident was brought to his attention, Dr. Senesie, who was on a regional visit to the south/east of Sierra Leone, authorised the Lands Complaints and Resolution Committee to embark on a fact finding mission that will set the stage for future steps and decisions on the matter.
The Committee led by the no nonsense Chairman, AlhajiMurtadaSesay and accompanied by Committee members wasted no time in visiting the disputed site and engaging various stakeholders with a view to understanding band resolving the dispute.
The Committee assured the community that the Ministry was concerned about the incident and that justice would be served.
According to the Committee Secretary, work with various stakeholders to ensure a speedy investigation to resolve this matter once and for all is well underway.
It can be recalled that a fatal shooting was at Hastings and left a person dead over dispute on the land in question on 15th April 2021.
The mood was somber, residents of the village gathered in small groups conversing about incident. An eye witness account states that a certain man (now identified as Alpha Kargbo) went up to his land after receiving a call from someone who was already at the land site.
Upon arrival an argument ensued, tempers flared, leading to two fatal shots from police officers from the Operational Support Division of the Sierra Leone Police. Alpha Kargbo died shortly the eye witness narrated.
According to the police statement the personnel responsible for the fatal shooting have been suspended from duty and placed on administrative and criminal investigations.
Thirteen people were arrested, the police officers named in the fatal shooting were also arrested and are in custody.
The Police appeal to the public to remain calm and trust it to conduct fair and expeditious investigations into the incident.
