Another Rebellious Display As SLPP Beats APC Chairman To Death
May 30, 2018 – The Regional Police Commander for Western Freetown AIG Thomas Lahai has confirmed to this newspaper that the Sierra Leone Police is investigating an alleged case of murder which took place on Saturday 26th May 2018 at Sheriff Drive in Lumley, Freetown. AIG Lahai however declined to confirm the details around the murder of the victim Mr. Abu Bakarr Kamara, instead referring us to the Lumley Police Local Unit Commander who was himself unavailable for comment. However, reports are that the victim was the opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) Zonal Chairman for the area and he was attacked and killed by thugs supporting the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP). This was revealed by family members of the victim and other witnesses to the incident who spoke to this newspaper. (Photo: APC stalwarts led by Dr. Samura Kamara, centre, visited bereaved family)
Mr. Franklyn Kamanda, the younger brother of the deceased, in an exclusive chat with Awareness Times Newspaper on Monday 28th May 2018 narrated that his brother Abu Bakarr Kamara, until his brutal killing, was the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party chairman in that Sheriff Drive Zonal Ward area and was well known by all and loved by many people.
He explained that on Saturday 26th May 2018, Abu Bakarr got a breakdown with his truck at Sheriff Drive. He added that his elder brother went to his house to collect money to do the repairs and walked back to Sheriff Drive to see to fixing up his vehicle. He alleged that Sheriff Drive is a hub for violent thugs of the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) who usually gathered at the point. He said on several occasions these alleged SLPP thugs have violently attacked people associated with APC or seen wearing APC T-shirts. He said the Police have not been able to stop the violence since the APC lost the presidential elections to the SLPP. He said living in those parts is now hell for APC supporters at the hands of SLPP thugs.
Mr. Kamanda explained further that on that fateful Saturday May 26th, the alleged SLPP thugs approached the deceased and begged him money but the deceased retorted to them that his party, the APC, was not in governance anymore and his business was facing problems so he has no money. He said eyewitnesses said his late brother told the SLPP thugs that they should go and beg those who were enjoying money right now.
Mr. Kamanda said this retort from his brother angered the SLPP thugs who got into a back and forth verbal argument with his late brother; during which they threatened to harm his brother. He said they reminded the brother of how he had once chased them away from the residence of Dr. Samura Kamara, the APC Presidential candidate who lost the just concluded 2018 presidential election. *Dr. Samura Kamara lives in that neighbourhood.*
Apparently, the heated exchange of words included maternal invectives following which the deceased jumped on board a commercial motorbike to head to the garage where his vehicle was being repaired. At this point, he went on to say that the alleged SLPP thugs attacked the motorbike in motion and dragged the victim off it. He said seven SLPP supporters used sticks and metal irons to severely beat the victim in the presence of neighbours until his skull cracked open.
“We were called by neighbours and we rescued his lifeless body and urgently rushed him to Connaught Government Hospital but he died from the pains and wounds,” the brother of the deceased lamented, adding that a postmortem will be conducted on the deceased today.
He however disclosed that the Honourable Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura of the SLPP Young Generation and the National Publicity Secretary of the SLPP who also doubles as the Honourable Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Retired Lieutenant Lawrence Lahai Leema, led an SLPP delegation to visit their family yesterday to sympathize and console them. He said the SLPP stalwarts condemned the murder and assured justice will be done. He said they donated two bags of rice and Five Hundred Thousand Leones (Le500, 000) to the household.
Meanwhile, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC party, Mr. Cornelius Deveaux confirmed that the APC party has “received the report of the death of Abu Bakarr Kamara who was allegedly killed by supporters of the ruling SLPP government” and that “the APC is waiting for the postmortem report”. He added that after the postmortem report, the APC party will make its position and decisions known to the public. He therefore called on all APC supporters to remain calm and law-abiding.
Deveaux also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and informed of how the APC, at top levels, had rushed to the house since the very day of the death. He said the APC did not wait until Monday to go there unlike the SLPP which “waited for two to three days” before showing remorse.
Mr. Deveaux condemned the violence being unleashed on APC supporters across the country by known SLPP supporters. He said they were compiling evidence and after they have gathered their evidence, they will take legal actions against the SLPP executive and this legal action may be extended to even the Government of President Julius Maada Bio.
All efforts to get the ruling SLPP to comment remained futile. An SLPP spokesman said they will speak on the matter subsequently. He however confirmed that the party had made visits to the bereaved family of the victim.
The victim is expected to be buried today or tomorrow as he is a Muslim. As we went to press, we received unconfirmed reports that the Lumley Police detectives had caught two of the seven alleged SLPP attackers who had fled after they beat up the APC chairman. The other five alleged SLPP supporters are said to be on the run.
By Dr. Sylvia Blyden and Emmanuel I. Kamara reporting for Awareness Times Newspaper_
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