The Sierra Leone Police have added more names and photos of people accused of organizing and championing the August 10, 2022 violence protest in Freetown and other parts of the country.
The latest name added to the list is a 25 years old young man named Abdul Lamanara Gadiru Bah of the People’s Power in Politics (PPP) Group.
Police say Abdul was initially arrested but later escaped police arrest at the Police Hospital in Kingtom, Freetown where he was escorted to get some medical after he complained sick.
According to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Brima Jah, Abdul Lamanara Gadiru Bah was arrested by police on 11th August, 2022 after his uncle, Police Constable 13112 Mohamed Lamanara Bah, attached to the Central Police Division in Freetown identified him of being a senior member of the PPP – one of the leading factions that organizes and financed the protest that later became very bloody.
AIG Jah said after spending few days in police detention, Abdul started complaining of severe headache, chest and internal body pains so he was rushed to the hospital to see a doctor on 14th August, 2022, where he managed to escape allegedly with the help of some nurses who have been arrested and currently helping police investigations.
The AIG further explained that when Abdul was first arrested on 11th August, in his statement, he denied not being part of the PPP and the protest but that he was implicated by his uncle who wanted to take revenge on him because they are both serious rivals on some family properties.
However, the AIG said lots of evidence collected by the police seem to be implicating Abdul of being a member of the PPP and was also part of the violent protest and that this was why he is declared wanted and placed on the police wanted list for the violence.
The AIG told journalists that they have some 141 suspects in police custody and are looking for some others that they have declared wanted persons, adding further that the police have released a toll-free line for citizens to help them with information about their whereabouts.
AIG Jah maintained that things were under control and that people should go about their normal business, and warned that the police will come hard on people who break the law, with the intention to foment trouble and disturb the peace of the country.
It was further disclosed that among those arrested during and after the violence and in their custody, were top executive members of groups that championed the violence protest in Freetown including those of the PPP.
Also, AIG Jah said 24 juveniles: 18 young boys and 6 girls are also in police detention, while calling on community people to help in the search to identify those on the run so that police will bring them to book.
He said after completion of investigation of those in their custody, they will be charged to Court on various charges, including Riotous Conduct, Murder and attempted coup against the current President of Sierra Leone.
