Police shot a young man dead in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 10 September 2018:

There is disquiet in the community of Mile 91 and surrounding villages in Sierra Leone tonight, after a combined team of armed police and soldiers allegedly raided two villages in the area at 5am Sunday, 9th September, shooting a 29-year-old man dead.

According to report by Radio 98.1FM, the Local Unit Commander (LUC) of the police said that, the team of armed security personnel arrived in his area of operation without his knowledge, in contravention of standard police protocol.

The LUC said that the team claimed the operation was ordered by State House. “They came as if they were prepared for war,” he said.

There has been no confirmation of the incident by the interior ministry nor State House. But the opposition APC party are accusing the SLPP led government of murder and calling for an investigation, so that those responsible can be brought to justice.

Sierra Leone police have over the years been accused of being trigger happy, under an unwritten policy of ‘shoot first and ask questions later’.

Former president Koroma was accused of failing to control the country’s police force, after a series of fatal shootings by the police across the country, including the killing of unarmed students in Kabala and Kenema who were out protesting peacefully.

Since coming to power six months ago, there has been an increase in accusations of political killings made against president Bio’s SLPP party and government by the opposition APC.

It is not yet clear why the police mounted this deadly operation in the Mile 91 community, and what led to the killing of the young man.

The Consortium for Democracy and Human Rights says that the Citizens Advocacy Network yesterday visited Mile 91 to ascertain allegations being made by local people of rape, murder, looting and destruction of property of poor farmers by the Sierra Leone Police.

The police are yet to issue a statement on this operation, which many are now regarding as another example of police brutality and unprofessionalism in Sierra Leone.  You can watch a video of the community’s reaction here:

This is the father of the dead young man speaking to reporters:

10 Comments

  1. The problem we have in Sierra Leone is having to contend with illiteracy and myopia in many a people as NYUMA JACOB JAMES.

    How can he, for God’s sake insinuate as he did in his despicable text. Until and unless this level of thinking as exhibited by such people as NYUMA JACOB JAMES is addressed, Sierra Leone will continue to struggle.

  2. I suggest some comments like that of Nyuma james should not be published. It is the same partisan thinking that has kidnapped Sierra Leoneans, because he is now talking about gaining power instead of the unprofessional police.

    What has the police shooting of an innocent man got to do with the APC trying to come back to power?

    Has he got a heart to imagine the loss the family has suffered overnight? Didn’t the gentleman hear that there were truckloads of police involved or listen to the police spokesman and other stakeholders over the radio and tv, that the police were involved?

    Is it because police actions have not struck your family? How many more innocent people should the Salone police kill before the authorities take them to task?

  3. The trouble with Sierra Leone is that there are almost no known laws that regulate most of the state apparatus and if they do, they are almost obsolete. In countries such as the UK although there are incidents which are the results of trigger happy enforcement personnel, however if such an incident happen, it will lead to a thorough investigation so that lessons can be learned.

    I am hoping that in this case what happened in Mile 91 will lead to a thorough investigation, and if there are flaws that led to the death of a young man, those flaws will be identified and fixed.

  4. Who is APC fooling? Some of us know what their thugs are capable of doing. I grew up under the APC regime during the days of Siaka Stevens. They really need to find another tactics because they have used all the 99-tactics late Siaka Stevens left with them.

    By killing the innocent just because you want to regain power you have lost, will only lead to destroying themselves. Some of us know those irresponsible thugs and members of the APC party. “Paopa Salone go betteh”.

  5. At times when I am seeing blacks killing blacks I weep. Some of us are refusing to remove the stigma they placed among us.
    The major problems we are facing is bad Politicians who are creating bad odour in our society. According to information, they went their to arrest marijuana farmers, instead they took their money, motorbikes and looted the township.

    I am aware most of us know the Problems, but we are refusing to speak the truth and cast the blame on the Police. When any bad Politician give an order to the Police, if they the Police refuse, what do you think will happen to the Police Officer? They either suspend the Police or create setback situation to frustrate the Police officer.

    Sierra Leoneans, let us dont blame the Police for any ugly action. It is high time members and supporters of Political Parties to come out and speak to their Politicians to stop using the Police to intimidate the People who they think aren’t on their side. If they are refusing to do that, it will be an ongoing situation in the country.

    I strongly believe there are some decent Politicians, members and supporters who will not support any bad decision or acts done by their Parties. These are the People we are waiting to see to come out with a statement to condemn this act, because it will demonstrate fairness and hope of Peace in the country. Let us dont allow Politics to divide us. Unity, Freedom and Justice.

  6. The APC as a political party must implore its followers to always be law abiding. Elections are over and we all must support the present government in its efforts to develop Sierra Leone. Obeying the law is definitely part and parcel of that process.

    The tendency to flaunt the law while taunting and challenging the police can always have disastrous outcomes. May the soul of the young man rest in peace.

  7. This act of police officers killing innocent civilian is very bad and government have to do something about it before it get worse.

  8. Sierra Leoneans have still got a lot to think and remember about the country’s past. I am sure the police did quite a good job listening to our president’s inaugural speech. Law and order must be observed by all.

    We need a peaceful country where everyone can live a happy life. Please brothers and sisters be very careful with what you do. The police are watching you.

  9. “Sierra Leone have over the years been accused of being trigger happy, under an unwritten policy of ‘shoot first and ask questions later'”

    And I guess you are surprised why that is? You see, what a child sees his/her parents doing, the child imitates. I’m sure you are aware of the many incidents in America. Thanks to social media, no one can say, oh, you are making things up. You see this same merciless, inhumane, government imposition, barbaric onslaught against Africans (aka the black men and women). And since Sierra Leone is nothing but an American/British colony, marvel not if the police of Sierra Leone behaves in like manners.

    This is why I do not celebrate the so called independence of any African nation because I believe is pure nonsense and the blatant display of Africans (Blacks) stupidity. With incident like this, do you feel independent? Every aspect of our lives is modeled after the same people who have enslaved us and reduce us to nothing but beasts. Everything described in this article is complete replication of the type of justice blacks get in America – guilty until proven in the court of law. And I would hear people say stuff like we are a nation of laws, a complete display of stupidity.

    What’s happening in Sierra Leone, in fact the whole of Africa, if you are familiar with the power structure of the slavery days, you will know that this is nothing but master(America/Britain) -> taskmasters (your government/police) type deal. And if you are familiar with the history of slavery, you will know that the taskmasters were your own brother set over you. And to please their masters, they would inflict you with the worse possible pain unimaginable.

    Sadly, I only see things getting worse day by day. Our so called education is just another way of promoting white supremacy. It further enforces colonialism and imperialism principles on young African minds. Don’t get me wrong, the problem is not with education per se but rather the nature of what we call education today – it’s nothing but brainwashing of Africans to think white.

    What happened when the blacks from Nova Scotia settled in what’s Freetown today, they felt superior to the other blacks who were already settled in the area on to this day. So don’t be surprised or don’t get unsettled when you see actions like this in play, you love it. It’s the American way that you so loved the treating of your own people as nothing but beasts. As it is written “let our strength be the law of justice for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth”

    Up to this day, Africa has not identified her enemies. She still thinks everyone is her friend and lovers even the one that took her children captives and dehumanized them on to this day. Sorry mama Africa, wake up now or face extermination at the hands of your enemies.

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