The Sierra Leone Police has reacted to allegations made by the All People’s Congress (APC) Party that they were attacked and shot at by armed police personnel during their press conference on Sunday 25th June, 2023 thereby allegedly shooting one of their members.
The APC in a press statement alleged that in the afternoon of Sunday, 25th June, 2023, fully armed troops from the Sierra Leone Police stormed its press conference and shot at the with live bullets, thereby sending their presidential and mayoral candidates, scores of party officials and journalists scampering for cover.
The APC said the attack resulted in the shooting to death of one of their supporters, Haja Mahawa Dumbuya.
Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police, William Fayia Sellu said none of his personnel fired a single live bullet shot at the APC Party office or its supporters and members as alleged.
He said he can confirm that his personnel actually fired teargas canisters at the party office to dispatch the supporters who were jubilating on the street, disturbing other people but that not a single live bullet was used.
IG Sellu said: “I can confirm that anyone was killed or injured by live bullet fired by my personnel at the APC Party office.
“I got intelligence that supporters of the APC have jumped on the street jubilating winning of the June 24, 2023 elections, when the EC-SL was yet to announce any result, thereby disturbing other people’s movements.
“I tried severally to reach out to the Party’s leadership through several telephone calls, to get them to recall their supporters off the street but none of them were reachable.
“I was left with no option but to call the nearest police team in the area to get them off the street and allow people to go about their normal businesses”.
