By Bampia James Bundu
There was commotion yesterday at the Dwazark junction after another clash ensued between commercial bike riders and the Sierra Leone Police, leaving over twenty motor bikes and riders arrested and the park closed.
Police Superintendent, Ambrose Sovula, who spoke to journalists at the scene said the riders had been transporting passengers to and from the Central Business District, CBD, where they had been banned.
He said police personnel had merely gone to the park to make some arrests “when the bike riders organised into small groups, conducted themselves in a riotous manner and started pelting stones at the officers”.
The SLP head of traffic explained that there were laws prohibiting commercial motor bikes from entering the CBD areas, adding that there was that common understanding between the police and the Bike Riders Association (BRA).
He said they had to make those laws so as to enhance the free-flow of traffic and keep the streets safe from accidents within in the busy areas. He said that they had done their best to ensure that the law was enforced by arresting and charging to court any rider who flouted the rules of engagement.
Superintendent Sovula stated that they had decided to raid the park at Dwazark junction because “the riders at that park are lawless, they use the CBD recklessly without fear of or respectfor the law”. He added that the purpose of their raid on the park was to remove the riders from the area. He alleged that “the bike riders had mischievously reorganised themselves at the junction to take people to the CBD and cause havoc”. He said their raids would not end at that park, adding that they would ensure that they stopped commercial motor bikes all over the country from plying prohibited areas.
He promised that none of the bikes or their riders would be released based on “orders from above”, adding that those that deserved to be charged to court would be charged accordingly. He said the park had been closed down permanently.
President of the bike riders association, David Sesay, expressed disappointment at the action of the police, claiming that “the officers harassed, beat up and arrested bike riders at the park for no justifiable reason”. He said commercial bike riders only used the hill side roads to get to the east, west and back to the Dwazark and Model junctions which were their hubs. He said that closing the park would not only affect the riders but would also upset passengers.
He explained that his riders were law abiding and had been supportive of the fight against the Ebola outbreak in the country.
“We honored the 7am to 7pmworking hour for bike riders imposed by the government and we have ensured that bikes used the authorized roots in the city”, he said. He blamed the present situation on the police, whom he alleged“had used excessive force and violence in arresting the bikes, which might have led to riot and the pelting of stones”.
He called on the Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police to intervene and caution his personnel, especially those in the traffic division. He pleaded with the police authority to reconsider the closure of the park at Dwazark junction, saying “it is very important”.
(C) Politico 30/09/14
