Youths disgruntled over illogical powers of police
The people around No. 2 River communities seem unhappy with the manner in which the police carried out a court order to demolish a house once owned by one Mr. Alpha Fofanah.
Community people say for over thirty years now they’ve never witnessed such a terrible situation in rural communities deep west of the Western Area peninsular, approximately about 50 km from the central heart of the city.
They said that court bailiffs and a full force of hooligans from the Adonkia community backed by the Sierra Leone Police used all their might in executing a court order from the office of Master and Registrar to destroy the house of Mr. Fofana.
In an interview with the police, they stated that, their presence was meant to secure the bailiffs as they executed court orders.
That the youths were only there to cause the demolition of a house illegally built by Mr. Fofanah.
The police delegation included one inspector Sesay, Sergeant Kelly and Sergeant Conteh all of Adunkia Police Station.
The youths were armed with cutlasses, shovels, pickaxes and hammers which they used to destroy the locally made ‘pan bodi’ and roofing of a beautiful house.
While in action destroying houses in the compound of Mr. Fofnah, a handful of community people pleaded with the team not to destroy the house, but go through the headman of the community, who they wished should have led the team to the house owner before then.
The police did not listen to the community people at all. Instead, they were observed firing grenade canisters and using truncheons to beat any person caught.
They also used stones to scare away the youths they believe or presume might attack them.
Upon this prolonged battle, the youths started throwing stones in retaliation.
More than ten women, including children and youths, were burnt by the canisters.
A considerable number of innocent people were arrested and taken to the Adonkia Police Station.
The caretaker, Jacob Bell said two years ago a group of people came to him and informed him that the land in question is owned by Madam Philomena Stanley Jones.
He said they wanted to survey the land but were stopped on the basis that the one who sold the land was not with them.
He said because of his resistance the people went away and later came with armed police men.
He maintained that he was shocked to see two trucks of police officers at their compound to execute a court order.
“I saw police officers loading zinc, glass and window frames they had removed from the houses,” Jacob said.
By Mary I. Kamara
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