In Sierra Leone, another heavy police crack-down on fuel hoarders and dealers
and LUC may face political crucifiction
Over the past weeks, Police in Makeni, north-eastern Sierra Leone, have heavily cracked down on fuel dealers who conspire with hoarders to unnecessarily create artificial scarcity of fuel in that part of the country. About nine pump attendants and alleged black-marketers have appeared in court. But further arrests have lead to flaming bashings known to have been orchestrated with Political undertones to undermining fair Policing. (Photo: The clamped company vehicle)
It is no secret that artificial crisis of fuel often lead to the sabotage of any serious government across the region, especially in Sierra Leone.
Earlier in the operations, nine suspects were arrested at an NP filing/gas station around PZ in the heart of Makeni. They appeared in court over the couple of days on four counts charges ranging to conspiracy –contrary to law and the goods Act of Sierra Leone. Yet there was little or no bashing. Until recent Police crackdown at the newest and biggest National Petroleum (NP) along Azzolini highway in the northern city where the wife of the Resident Minister (North) happens to be the dealer, came up what many see as a politically cosmetized letter, complaining the Local Unit Commander of the Makeni Police division-Gibriel Mohmed Turay aka GMT of persistent harassment and extortion on the dealers” why now? the people angrily ask. The new filling station/gas station run by the Resident Minister’s wife has been identified as the lead conspirator to undermining government’s effort with impunity for personal aggrandizement. “But who will set leadership precedent apart from the Resident Minister? Abdul Karim Kamara in Makeni queried.
Orders from above erupted and undermined the good work of the Police shortly after sixteen jelly cans were arrested at the filling/gas station run by the Resident Minister’s wife at NP-Azzolini highway in Makeni few days ago. It forced the Police through the AIG-north east to release about five of the arrested suspects at that particular filling/gas station. And that did not go down well with the northern residents.
Political chauvinism propelled the writing of an awkward and defamatory letter circulated to stakeholders and castigating the Local Unit Commander-Chief Superintendent of Police –Gibriel Mohamed Turay aka GMT and the image of the Police regardless their appreciable work to sustaining the common and unsuspecting populace in that part of the country with the supplied fuel meant for domestic use.
Fuel dealers trying to create artificial fuel crisis after the resolution on Magburaka Road
But a team of officials from the national petroleum unit in Freetown stormed the northern city for clarification on the issue. Eventually, the Data Processing Officer at the Petroleum Unit- Mr. Sallieu Suliaman Kamara complimented the tireless and admirable effort of the Police in that part of the country, headed by the Local Unit Commander.
The Processing Officer warned that on no account must a Company buy or quart fuel from the filling/gas stations, adding: the fuel supplied to the provinces is strictly for domestic use followed by government subsidies. He continued to empower the Police that any buyer who wishes to buy more than ten jelly cans must seek Police clearance. And that fuel dealers at filling stations must strictly abide to selling at6 four thousand-five hundred Leones per liter.
Interestingly, a vehicle belonging to a Company called J&D was impounded at the wife of the Resident Minister’s filling/gas station shortly after the meeting with security stakeholders and petroleum unit officials. Police were smartly tipped with information and they effected an arrest on the vehicle which went to buy hundreds of liters from the station, yet the Resident Minister was said to have pursued the Police with threats and castigations that he remains the Resident Minister and must be respected at all times.
Effort to get his side as at press time proved futile
To be continued in subsequent editions
By Alie Mozart sesay
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