State funeral for four Salone soldiers

Under the leadership of His Excellency the president, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Sierra Leone, a befitting State funeral was held yesterday at the Hockey Pitch, Wilberforce, for the four military personnel that lost their lives while on a peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Sudan this month.

Their remains were laid to rest at the military war grave, Regent Road Lumley.

The funeral ceremony was graced by the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Chief Sam Sumana, Minister of Defense, Alfred Pallo Conteh and other ministers of government, parliamentarians, senior and junior staff officers of the Armed Forces, family members and other sympathizes.

Tributes were delivered to family members by the Chief of Defense Staff and the Ministry of Defense.

Below are profiles of the deceased; the sad event took place at Nyala, Darfur on 1^st August 2010.The deceased  were among the  platoon of RSLAF peace keepers deployed with the Sector Reconnaissance Company 1 (SRC1).

The departed soldiers were sent to Darfur in February this year to help the United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to support in the peace keeping process in Darfur.

They met their untimely death in a gruesome road accident during an escort duty. The platoon was tasked to escort the UN Deputy Joint Special Representative (DJSR) to the Nyala International Airport and Kalman IDP Camp.

Sadly, the escort team was struck by misfortune on their way back to base, when a ten ton vehicle ran into their lead vehicle at an intersection at Amis Junction leaving the four personnel dead and others with serious injuries; a report showed that the vehicle was damaged beyond repair.

SL1247LT.S.M Lebbie was 28 years old and joined the army in 2005.

RSLAF 18166941 SGT Koroma was 36 years old, married with two children and joined the army in 1991.

RSLAF 18177897/LCPL Bangura was 35 years old who joined the army in 1999 and is survived by his wife and family.

RSLAF 18170284 /LCPL Marah B was 48 years, joined the army in 1992 married with two children.

According to the tributes, these officers were hard working and had respect for elders and other ranks.

May their souls rest in perfect peace.

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