BY: Hassan Alimamy Kamara
Director of Operations in the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Braima Jah, has confirmed that a total of thirty six (36) suspects were arrested in Freetown during the two weeks Registration exercises of the first phase.
AIG Braima Jah said this on Monday 19 September 2022, at the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) Headquarters, at Tower Hill Freetown, during a media engagement organized by ECSL.
He added that the 36 arrested came in the total of 17 reported cases. He added that during the first phase, they received complaints; they made arrests and took other expedient actions.
Among those arrested is Mohamed Massaquoi who on 8 September 2022, at St Paul’s registration center Regent, was arrested as a result of alleged assault, obstruction, disorderly behaviour, and for being in possession of offensive weapon. He confirmed that Mohamed Massaquoi has been charged to court.
Another who has also been charged to court is Kady Thoronka, who was arrested on 9 September 2022, at the Grace School of Excellence, Kamayama, Lumley for assault on police, obstruction, and disorderly behaviour. And also one Abu Koroma was arrested on 17 September 2022, at Lumley High School registration center, for being in possession of a fake birth certificate. However, his matter has not been charged to court, but has been sent for legal advice.
Going further, he said similar cases of registration malpractices were committed at the North-East region and the North-West and nothing in the South-East due to what he regarded as a result of the level some of those committed there reached; which does not warrant to be charged or for any arrest to be made.
To ensure for a successful outcome of the process, he said the Sierra Leone Police has the legal mandate to support ECSL.
Announcing 80% of the provisional results after the first phase of the registration process, the Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Konneh, said a total of one million, three hundred and forty five thousand, and one hundred and seventy six. However, explanation was not given about the remaining 20%, and which districts or region has that percentage; even though he mentioned that the results announced were just provisional and has to go through quality control mechanism before the final announcement.
