Three months after FBC lecturer and journalist Joshua Nicol was attacked and wounded during a robbery at his home at Wilberforce, the police have so far made no arrest and "it appears as if the matter is dying a natural death,” said Nicol.
Latest reports indicate that he will almost certainly have to undergo surgery to correct a problem with his left shoulder caused by the repeated hitting and stabbing he received from the criminals during the robbery.
According to a medical report prepared by Dr. Montgomery G.B. Harding and seen by Politico, "plain X-ray and ultrasound examination of his left shoulder" revealed that "he was hit about his left shoulder and stabbed in his body, chest and right elbow". The report concludes that "he needs to have acrimioplasty of his left shoulder".
Nicol refused to be drawn on the details of his medical condition when contacted by Politico last evening but he expressed "utter disappointment at the seeming inability of the police to bring these criminals to justice".
Nicol said, "as far as I am concerned, the police have all what they need to conclude this case. They have the records of one mobile phone left behind by the robbers on the night of the incident...I have called some of the people whose numbers appeared on the log who the robbers were in touch with in the hours leading up to the incident, their numbers are still active, why this delay"?
The lecturer told Politico he had been in "constant touch with the officers investigating the robbery but I am beginning to give up after three months".
There's been a recent increase in armed robberies in Freetown. Four lecturers on FBC campus have been attacked in as many months, forcing them to lead a delegation to the Inspector General of Police to urge him to step up security in the area.
A police officer on guard duty was recently stabbed to death. Police headquarters have reportedly offered a Le 10. 000, 000 bounty for information leading to the arrest of those involved in the killing of the OSD officer.
© Politico 22/01/15
