No Charge for Police Killer – White Boy, Others above the Law…?
Following the submission of the Kelvin Lewis report on the September 9th Bo incident, culprits (sizeable number of civilians) were arraigned to the court on charges of arson, riotous conducts etc; with no police officer charged at all.
A police officer identified as 12381 B. S Mansaray aka White Boy was held responsible for the killing of Abdulai Sesay (a bike rider) along Mahei Boima road in Bo, the report says.
The report also states that three armed police officers: Police Constables 12558 Alhassan Khandi Conteh, 12562 Augustine Sanu and Sergeant 6220 Conteh Kekuda heedlessly shot and wounded nine harmless civilians during the unrest.
It was recommended that all four police officers held responsible for the murder and wounding of civilians be dealt with according to law.
Soon after the submission of the Bo report to President Koroma, it was reported that the Inspector General of Police, Francis Munu, order his police to arrest and prosecute persons identified as suspects for crimes committed in Bo.
It is in the report that a police officer called ‘White Boy’ was found wanting for the murdering of one Abdulai Sesay, whereas P.C 12558, P.C 12562 and Sgt 6220 for the shooting nine harmless civilians.
It is a fact that detectives at the criminal investigation department (CID) in Freetown later arrested persons accused of committing crimes during the Bo unrest and charged them for arson and riotous conducts.
The police officers that were held responsible for murder and wounding were not charged at all.
Reflection must be drawn to the fact that in paragraph 4 of a letter written to President Koroma by the Independent Investigation Panel and titled: ‘submission of the final report of the Investigating panel on the September 9th 2011 incidents in Bo,’ it is stated though, “Your Excellency we now present our findings to you, along with recommendations which we kindly request that you pay special attention to.”
In the midst of persons charged, are a Member of Parliament and a Councilor.
At some point, the accused were refused bail and made to spend weeks in cells at the Central Maximum prison in Freetown.
Albeit public outcry for the swift implementation of recommendations in the Bo report, police officers held for the heedless killing and shooting of harmless civilians still enjoys the pleasure of not being charged to court.
The Sierra Leone Police unlike other institutions in Sierra Leone have longed set up a complaint and discipline department that is responsible to look into misconducts of police officers and take appropriate actions as prescribed by law.
It is still not known whether accusations of the killing and wounding of harmless Bo residents by the four police officers is under investigation or virtually thrown to the dust bin.
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