With sixty-seven peaceful protesters currently held in custody at different unknown detention facilities across the country, the Sierra Leone Police has Wednesday 21 June this year vowed to maintain a constant highhanded security posture, with constant clampdown on peaceful protesters.
Police told a news conference hosted at their George Street headquarters in Freetown, that they arrested and detention of the National Secretary of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), Lansana Dumbuya Esq., for alleged incitement.
Head of Operations, Assistant Inspector General of Police – AIG Brima Jah confirmed that up to the time of addressing the press conference, the APC NSG was at the Criminal Investigation Department headquarters making statement.
“We will continue with this kind of security posture until after the elections,” said AIG Jah, and reassured all of police fullest protection.
AIG Jah also confirmed the arrests and detentions of sixty-six (66) peaceful protesters, of which fifty-five (55) in the East end and nine (9) in the West of Freetown.
He declared constant clampdown on those they refereed as ‘lawless’ people and alleged that ‘ex-combatants housed’ at the APC National Secretarial on 11 Old Railway Line Brookfields, fired five shots.
Displaying the alleged carriage shells, AIG Jah disclosed that alleged ex-combatants fired three shots from an AK47 and two from a pistol, adding that police ascertained that the shots were fired by ‘ex-combatants.’
He said the operation was a security intelligence led, but however refused to disclose how the SLP were able to confirm the said intelligence.
AIG Jah said a foreign observer was present when the alleged shots were fired.
He referenced a social media video that shows the so-called international observer clarifying the innocence of the police.
He said the APC addressed a letter to the Inspector General of Police Saturday 17 June this year and notified him about their intentions to stage a peaceful march, from their party secretariat to the office, Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone.
Jah said that the IGP acknowledged receipt of the letter of notification and extended an invite to the APC Monday, 18 June at 13:00 hours, but the opposition APC failed to show up.
He disclosed that the reason for the invite was to discuss with the APC the time, route and the number of individuals that will partake in the said peaceful march.
He continued that on Tuesday 20th June this year, the APC further notified the IGP of their party’s intention to hold a peaceful march on Wednesday 21, adding that the APC was for the second time invited by the IGP but to no avail.
AIG Jah spoke about the statement made by the APC NSG, Lansana Dumbuya Esq, in which he called on their party supporters and members across the country to come out for a peaceful protest on Wednesday 21 June.
He quoted Section 17 (2) of the Public Order Act, which mandates the IGP to disallow any procession and pointing out that the APC NSG Dumbuya Esq only went to the police headquarters on Wednesday 21 June after alleged APC supporters and members took on the streets to protest without police permit.
AIG Brima Jah described the statement of the former mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Akie-Sawyer, as ‘propaganda’ that the police had shot dead two as ‘misleading’ and ‘unfortunate’ and referred to her statement as a ‘criminal lies.’
