WRITTEN BY JONATHAN HINDOLO KURABU ESQ (D CATALYST)
Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police, William Fayia Sellu has with immediate effect ordered the re-arrest and prosecution of an OSD officer, Abu Bakarr Yillah who allegedly shot and killed a boy named, Fasineh Bangura on 13th July,2022 at Yanah Town, Tambaka Yobanyi Chiefdom, Karene District, North Western Province in Sierra Leone.
The alleged incident came in the wake of a Paramount Chieftaincy election protest against the elected Paramount Chief PC Abu Bakarr Kamara (Kandeh Bamba II) which led to massive arrests of supporters of the losing candidate, Alhaji Mohamed Foday Kamara, while the aged, women and children sought refuge in a nearby bush for over two weeks.
Deceased, Fasineh Bangura was among the youths who were arrested in Yana Town and was allegedly shot by the OSD officer, Abu Bakarr Yillah who was among the police and OSD personnel who effected the massive arrests and detention of the residents on that fateful day.
The said OSD officer Abu Bakarr Yillah was subsequently summoned at the Criminal Investigations Department in Freetown, statements obtained from him and was later released on bail pending investigation which never materialized despite two attempts for advice by the Director of Public Prosecutions for preferment of charges to wit Murder against the OSD Officer, Abu Bakarr Yillah.
The first advice to charge the suspect was sent by Law Officers Department on the 28th April 2023 and the second advice was again sent by the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP in June 2024 urging the CID to charge the said OSD Yillah but according to reliable sources, same was never countenanced despite frantic efforts by relatives of the deceased boy and Human Rights Commission, to engage officers at the CID Headquarters and CDIID in Freetown.
Wind of this information came to the knowledge of the Inspector General of Police, William Fayia Sellu,8 days ago who immediately called for the file which the CDIID earlier said couldn’t be found but was released on his orders and suspect, Abu Bakarr Yillah was brought to Freetown a day after.
An internal investigation was conducted and he was stripped off his title and he is due to be charged to court on Monday 19th, August,2024 in Freetown.
Relatives of the deceased boy in Tambaka Yobanyi Chiefdom expressed profound thanks to the Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu for his resolve to let justice be served for the alleged brutal murder of their son whose alleged murderer was still working as an OSD Officer while they suffered in silence.
This move by IGP William Fayia Sellu is considered by many as a testament of his determination to prosecute his own for illegal discharge of firearms against innocent civilians.
