By Lamin Bangura
A member of the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) Youth Wing, Abu Bakarr Sankoh, report state, has been declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police following the recent August 10 Protest that claimed lives and properties of civilians and government security personnel.
Sankoh who is known to be a youth football coach in Calaba town, east of Freetown and also a member of the opposition All Peoples Congress is being politically persecuted, assaulted as his life is under serious threat.
Sankoh’s case is similar to others declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police on allegations of incitement and public disorder—charges the police leveled against those implicated in the August 10 protest.
Investigation uncovered that Sankoh was targeted for allegedly participating in the nationwide August 10 protest in which several APC supporters were attacked, arrested, and killed.
Times SL Reporter in Freetown-East, Lamin Bangura, who was physically on the ground reported that on the 13 August 2022 he was called by some friends to follow a story where Sankoh and his two friends, Abdul Kamara and David Bayoh, were allegedly attacked by some youths wearing Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) “PAOPA” T-shirts.
At the scene of the event, TSL reporter stated that the attackers accused Sankoh of being an influential APC youth member and that he was among those creating unrest in the country. Sankoh denied the accusations, but that his defence fell on deaf ears.
The alleged SLPP supporters descended on Sankoh and his friends who were mercilessly beaten with sticks and other objects, resulting in serious injuries. Sankoh’s two friends died during the cause of severe bleeding while he (Sankoh) sustained cuts and bruises on his head, and later lost consciousness during the incident.
In an interview with Hassan Kamara who claimed to be a Community Stakeholder and Traditional Leader in Calaba town, he told Times SL that because of his personality and his relationship with people, he was able to calm down the tension that led to the survival of Sankoh. Kamara however regretted for unable to rescue the two stating that as a community stakeholder it is incumbent upon him to always find solution to problems within the communities he governs. Kamara added that he was the one who rushed Sankoh to a hospital where he received treatment for some days.
In his public broadcast to the nation, President Julius Maada Bio referred to all those who took part in the protest as terrorists. Valnora Edwin, Head of Campaign for Good Governance, a civil society organization in the country, told journalists that the police should be careful with the manner of arrests.
She explained that SLPP supporters were taking undue advantage of the situation to unlawfully target individuals with whom they had prior issues. She out rightly condemned the unlawful detention of opposition supporters who had nothing to do with the protest and called for fair treatment of all. Police Spokesman Brima Kamara said all those declared wanted have a case to answer. He advised that those whose names and photos have been released by the police should report to the authorities or be ready to face the consequences. Sankoh was among those declared wanted and has been in hiding ever since. His whereabouts remain unknown, but he is still wanted by the police. The investigation continues.