The Sierra Leone Police have released a new list of Sierra Leoneans, wanted for their alleged involvement in the August 10, 2022 protest that was later transformed to a bloody riot.
The new list declares Jacob M. Sillah formerly of Sabu Street in Freetown, Isata Bangura formerly of Sabu Street in Freetown, Kadiatu Samura formerly of Blackhall road in Freetown and Samuel Kamara formerly of Congo Water in Freetown wanted for allegedly planning and participating in the protest.
At a press conference held yesterday at the Police Headquarters in Freetown, the Police told journalists that they have some 141 suspects in police custody and are looking for some others that they have declared wanted persons.
The police say their investigations revealed that Jacob M. Sillah is a very senior member of the opposition, All People’s Congress (APC) Party and his wife, Isata Bangura was also a member of the APC Party Traders Union – a Union of petty traders registered and loyal to the opposition party.
According to the police, Isatu was strongly involved in the planning and financing of the protest, aimed to get citizens to call on the ruling government to address basic human rights issues such as water and electricity supply, food and other human rights amenities.
They believed that being a senior member of the opposition, Jacob must have also been involved in the protest. Hence, the reason both are declared wanted.
A new toll-free line was released for citizens to help them with information about their whereabouts.
Speaking during the press briefing on the security situation in the country after the 10th August saga, Police maintained that things were under control and that people should go about their normal business, and warned that they will come hard on people who break the law, with the intention to foment trouble and disturb the peace of the country.
It was further disclosed that among those arrested on Wednesday’s alleged violence and in their custody, were 3 top executive members of a youth group that championed the alleged violent protest in Freetown.
Also, the police representative said 24 juveniles: 18 young boys and 6 girls are also in police detention. In this regard, A call for community people to help in the search to identify those on the run so that police will bring them to book.
It was after completion of investigation of those in their custody, they will be charged to Court on various charges, including Riotous Conduct, Murder and attempted coup against the current President of Sierra Leone.
In a similar development, top police management board met with wives and family members and promised to use their office to crackdown on all members of the various organisations that are alleged to have organised the protest that turnouts violent.
Meanwhile a list of the wanted persons has been posted on various police stations as well as the toll free line for information leading to their arrest.
Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has said that the circumstances will be “fully investigated”.
However, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) nationwide have condemned the unfortunate incident, while reporting that the denial by the police to first of all grant permission to the citizens to hold a peaceful protest led to the sad incident.
The CSOs reported that from their findings, the police and security forces were very high and trigger freak, revealing further that their decision to barricade the major streets in order to forcefully stop the peaceful protest offended some of the protesters.
An eyewitness report says, she witnessed a very peaceful protest until some well-armed police and military personnel stormed the protest and fired gunshots to disperse the protesters, which also led to the death of one of the protesters and a community resident.
The CSOs say from their findings, it was the death of these two people that angered the community people to join the protesters in what could be described as violent.
This, she further explained, annoyed some of the protesters who saw the action by the security forces as a blatant violation of their civic right to hold peaceful protests.
Reports say there have been series of secret night raids conducted by police and community people loyal to government, shooting and killing of relatives of protesters listed on police wanted list.
