We acted professionally – says chief of Sierra Leone police

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 9 March 2018:

It is now two days since the end of polling in Sierra Leone and the ensuing violent standoff between the police and supporters of the opposition SLPP party at the residence of their leader – Julius Maada Bio, which according to reports could have turned into disaster, had it not been for the timely intervention of the former Ghanaian president Mahama.

Yesterday, the SLPP published a statement blaming and condemning the ruling APC, saying:  “We view this intended action by the All People’s Congress Government as a desperate attempt to create public chaos, undermine the integrity of the elections and disrupt the entire electoral process. Such action constitutes a serious threat to the entire electoral process, public order and national security in the country.

“While the Sierra Leone People’s Party is confident of an outright victory based on provisional results displayed so far, we want to call on our supporters nationwide to stay calm and not to play into the hands of the All Peoples Congress’ diabolical plan.”

Today, the Inspector General of Police – Richard Moigbe, issued a statement, giving an account of what took place at the residence of Julius Maada Bio on polling day, when the police arrived to search his premises. This is what he said:

“On Wednesday 7th March, 2018, at about 12:30 pm, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) received an intelligence report that some unknown persons at a premises at Marjay Town junction, Goderich, were setting up some Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment to be used to hack into the National Electoral Commission’s (NEC) data system. The CID then placed the said premises under surveillance.

“At about 2:00 pm a team of detectives from the CID was dispatched to search the said premises. Two men were found outside, apparently guarding the premises. The CID explained to them the purpose of their visit and showed them a search warrant.

“They refused the detectives access to the building and pushed them outside the compound. Shortly after, the standard bearer of the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party (SLPP), Brigadier (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio emerged from the same building and gave directives that the detectives should not be allowed into the compound.

“The CID officers immediately called for reinforcement. Soon after, a crowd thronged the scene and tried to obstruct the security. This gave cause for a black Jeep to leave the compound without being searched.

“The reinforcement later arrived and a stand-off ensued between them and the crowd of supporters. A few minutes later, the former President of Ghana, Mr John Dramani Mahama, arrived at the scene. He was shown the search warrant.

“After a brief mediation, the security were ordered to withdraw from the scene in the interest of public order and peace.

“It should be noted, however, that the CID acted professionally in the execution of their duty. It should also be emphasised that in addition to the provision of elections security, the police has the responsibility to detect and prevent crime and apprehend offenders.

“For any democracy to thrive well, the rule of law should be respected. As such, it is important that political leaders cooperate with law enforcement agents in that regard.

“Meanwhile, members of the public are hereby enjoined to remain vigilant and to continue to support the operations of the SLP with cogent information.

“You are assured of our readiness to enforce the law dispassionately without fear or favour.”

4 Comments

  1. If power changes, they all at the top know that they have to be replaced. In our world of today, men dont owe allegiance to their fatherlands anymore – they now owe allegiance to their banks in Switzerland and New York.

    In a sane world, your oath to your country should make you tremble and react to truth and promote it, but that is not the case any more in a world that is drifting towards oblivion.

  2. If power changes, those at the top know that they’d have to be replaced. In our world of today, men don’t owe allegiances to their father lands anymore, they now owe allegiances to their banks in Swiss and New York.

    In a sane world, your oath to your country should make you tremble and reactional to truth and promote it, but that’s not the case any more in a world that’s drifting towards the oblivion.

  3. It seems as if Ms Miata French cannot escape controversy in successive elections. Ms French who is the Electoral Commissioner Western Region was today accused of facilitating vote rigging on behalf of the ruling APC party.

    This allegation was made by Alie Kabbah, the campaign manager of Rtd. Brig Bio at a press conference by the SLPP at the Bintumani hotel. Mr. Kabba alleged that Ms Miata French instructed NEC workers to accept results that were rejected by the computers. According to sources, these computers were pre-programmed by the Chinese to reject valid results.

    For instance some polling stations had been pre-programmed with higher votes for the APC but when the actual results which are lower are entered, the computer rejects it. A rejected result produces a black and white receipt while a valid result produces blue and white receipt. As per protocol, a black and white receipt must be rejected but Ms French is reported to have instructed the tally center workers to include the rejected results which favor Dr Samura Kamara.

    Asked for evidence of vote rigging or discrepancy, Mr. Lawrence Leema produced result slips that seemed doctored with one unstamped. These forms were actually supposed to have been with NEC but they were abandoned at the polling station with the same handwriting signing for all party agents.

    Alie Kabba reiterated the SLPP’s commitment to peace and urged NEC and the international community to ensure the valid results are collated and announced. Mr Allie Kabbah informed the press that the SLPP has won the elections at first count and there will be no runoff. They asked the NEC to ensure votes are counted as received.

    This is not the first time Miata French has been implicated in rigging allegations. In 2012, Ms. French was accused of giving more than 300 vehicular passes to APC operatives who posed as human rights observers. Sources in NEC suggest that Ms French has been promised a handsome fee including promotion to Chief Electoral Commissioner should she pull this one off.

    One international observer interviewed by this press, cautions that the activities of Ms French have the potential of throwing this country into violence. Efforts to reach Ms French has proved futile.

  4. I find this explanation by the police a little suspicious. Would the intelligence officers, who acted so “professionally”, not know as they went to the said “premises” that it belonged to the presidential candidate of a major opposition party, and thus act accordingly as they approached it?

    Why would the security forces just be “ordered” to withdraw from the scene (even in the interest of public peace and order)?

    What about the “intelligence” report they had?

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