By Mohamed Foday Conteh
Head of Communications at the Sierra Leone Judiciary, Elkass Sannoh has in an interview, yesterday, with Politico explained the Judiciary’s plans to evict illegal dwellers at Belliar Park, Dwarzark in Freetown.
The land at Belliar Park is over a hectare that was reserved for the Sierra Leone Judiciary. However, the land now hosts dwelling houses, garages, a welding shop, church and mosque and some shacks that serve as brothels and other anti-social activities on the said land according to Politico’s observation at the site.
Sannoh said the piece of land was reserved to host the Chief-Justice, Judges, Magistrates, and other staff of the judiciary. He affirmed that the said land in question already has quarters that were built to serve the housing needs of senior court officials, with some still residing there.
Sannoh affirmed that the judiciary noticed the land’s encroachment about three years ago with a recent tour showing proof of illegal settlement. He said their aim is to evict the illegal dwellers on the property in order for it to serve its rightful purpose although he could not tell how many people will be affected.
Sannoh said some of the encroachers have claimed that they took possession of the area upon approval by Lands Ministry officials but said that both the Ministries of Lands and Works have denied the accusations made by the squatters.
Fatu Sesay, 66, has been dwelling at Belliar Park for almost 14 years now. “I have been here since the first election President Koroma won,” the woman said. She said that she was a stone miner at Belliar Park and it was only in 2019 that the government warned them about the problem over the land.
Mohamed Kamara alias Main man has been operating a garage at Belliar Park for 20 years and named one Jako as the person that granted him access to the place, pointing to a quarter close to the garage where he said Jako resides. He pleaded with the judiciary to assist the 15 youths employed at the garage for an alternative source of livelihood.
Some few meters away from Main Man’s garage, is another garage managed by Sheku Sesay who says he has no problem with the eviction because he understands very well that the land belongs to the government. Sesay told Politico that he was once a bike rider but encountered some difficulties after seven of his bikes were stolen. He said that at some point he went to the Lands Ministry for documents but was informed that the land belongs to the judiciary. He stated he then went to the judiciary and was given the go-ahead to set up his garage since he is a Sierra Leonean.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online (15/09/21)
