Reports reaching this medium state that one Lahai Kamara, who was an underground foot soldier for the APC party was among the protesters, according to a source by a well-known Activist who leaves Aborad by the name of Adabayoh. Lahai Kamara, who lives Eastern part of Freetown has been declared a ‘Wanted Person’ by the Sierra Leone Police in connection with the August 10th, 2022 violent protest that took place in the country and resulted in the death of 35 civilians and 6 police officers.
According to an investigation mounted by this medium in respect of the said matter, it was alleged by family sources that Lahai Kamara was part of the Youths who staged the Protest on that day on their way to the state house he was beaten and arrested by the Primary Security Forces and was taken to Police Station for questions and later sent to the Sierra Leone correctional center at Pademba Road.
On November 26th, 2023 failed coup attempt, the Sierra Leone Correctional Center was broken into, and over 1000 inmates were released Lahai Kamara was among those released.
Some youths in the community, known to be supporters of the ruling party, have told the security forces that Lahai Kamara was among the rioters, and they will come looking for him. Family sources continued that Lahai Kamara never returned home after the November 26th failed coup, that fateful day (in the night), some armed security personnel, in the company of armed youths (armed with machetes, sticks, guns, and knives), alighted from a government security jeep that had no registration number (averting identification), and menacingly forced their way into the house, breaking the front door.
Family members explained to this writer that they were all forced to sit on the floor, whilst the officers and the youths searched the house for Lahai Kamara but to no avail. They further said that they were beaten and threatened with death if they failed to produce Lahai Kamara. But after turning the entire house upside down, and they did not find him, they informed them that they would return and would not relent until they found him.
A friend of Lahai Kamara, who spoke to this medium based on anonymity, said that when Lahai Kamara left his house on the 26th of November 2023, he sheltered him for a while, but that Lahai Kamara left his house, as there were indications that the security forces had embarked on a house-to-house search for him and others, he is known to be a supporter of the main opposition party in the community. He explained that what had been the norm immediately after the riot was that the security forces, in the company of ruling party youths and thugs, were raiding homes of known opposition supporters as well as members of the Love Salone Lef Bad heart, arresting them, and in some cases taking them to unknown places.
Some of these have not returned, and are feared dead. He added that since Lahai Kamara left his house, his whereabouts are unknown. Family members also say that since Lahai Kamara left the house, he has not returned, nor do they have any idea of his whereabouts.
They fear for his life, especially as there is news of people being summarily executed by the security forces in reprisal for their allaged released prisoners in the November 26th failed coup.
Our investigation further revealed that a lot of supporters and members of Love Salone lef Bad heart and supporters of the main opposition were targeted, some killed and dumped in unregistered government jeeps and taken away to unknown locations.
In the case of Lahai Kamara, Times SL Investigation uncovered that he was not an openly active member of the opposition but he is being declared wanted because of political witch hunt and allaged to be associate with Love Salone lef Bad heart
As the media pressed the police to comment on the arrests and disappearances of those youths, the media officer of the police explained that a list of wanted persons had been put up, but that there were also others that they are looking for, and would not relent until they are arrested and brought to the Sierra Loene Correctional Center. In his comment on the riot of 10th August 2022, President Bio told the international media (BBC) that the protesters were terrorists and the main opposition party was behind the entire episode. This, many see, as the reason for the indiscriminate attacks, killings and arrests of known opposition party members and supporters. The police have put a bounty on the heads of the people they are looking for.
As we go to press, the whereabouts of Lahai Kamara are still unknown, and family members are afraid that he may have been killed. Furthermore, many relatives of people killed during the riots by the security forces, have not been able to identify their loved ones at the country’s main mortuary, as the facility is under heavy police and military protection