By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The authorities in the eastern Kenema District have resolved to quarantine nine people as punishment for violating Covid-19 movement restrictions.
The men and women were accused of violating the existing inter-district travel restriction imposed by the government as part of efforts to prevent transmission of the virus. They were arrested by police on Monday shortly after their arrival in Kenema, sources said.
While the police say the men and women came from Freetown, the accused denied this.
Police spokesman in Kenema, Sergeant Brima James Musa, said the accused included five women and four men, including the driver.
"This shows that people are beaten the system despite the inter-district lockdown,” said Sgt. Musa.
Ibrahim Wurie, the Quarantine Center Manager in the District Emergency Operation Center, told Politico that the accused were taken to the Ahmadiyya quarantined center, where they would spend 14 days.
“No compromise, no negotiation," he warned, noting that they wouldn’t hesitate to send anyone into quarantine if they break the law and enter the district illegally.
The Inter-district lockdown has been in place since April. It was meant to prevent spread of the virus from districts that already had active transmission, particularly Freetown, the epicenter, to other districts without cases.
But every indication is that that restriction hasn’t been effective as the virus has now penetrated most of the districts.
As of Tuesday 19 May, 13 of the 16 districts of the country have active cases of the virus.
Observers have blamed porous security for the situation.
The incident in Kenema comes as cases of the virus escalate in the district. On Sunday, it recorded 14 new cases, the single highest number of cases it recorded in a day since the pandemic reached the country. The district’s total tally of COVID-19 cases stands at 24 as of Tuesday.
Wurie said as a district they were worried about the increased rate of infection.
And residents of the district have been generally apprehensive of travelers, especially those coming from Freetown.
One of those arrested, Amina Kallon, denied that they came from Freetown. Explaining her ordeal to the Police at the station, she said the bus came with their goods and they were called to collect them when they were arrested.
"This is just an unfortunate situation for us," she lamented.
The driver of the vehicle, with registration number AMT 900, claimed that he was set up by a colleague.
"One of my colleague drivers did say he will report me because we are going to Freetown whiles they don't have the opportunity. Now we're going to be quarantined away from our families," he said.
Police praised the efforts of community people for tipping them off. Sgt Musa urged residents in the district to share information about anyone travelling to the city illegally.
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