By Mabinty M. Kamara
Over recent clash between the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and commercial motorcyclists within the central business districts of Freetown, the SLP is set to charge over 50 bikers to court for various offences.
On Thursday 22nd April 2021, the Sierra Leone Police mounted an operation which according to it officials is aimed at decongesting traffic in the central business district of Freetown which spans from Saint John to Up Gun in the east.
Traffic congestion according to them is largely influenced by the activities of the motor bike riders.
During the operations, many commercial motor bikes found within the stated areas were arrested leading to confrontations and chaos in the areas where the operations were being held.
The riders to be charged to court according to the Deputy Police Media and Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Samuel Saio Conteh are particularly those who attacked the police in diverse ways during the operation.
However, he said the police have instituted some measures in terms of restoring peace and stability within the city.
“The arrests have gone above 50 since we started the operation three days ago but since it’s a weekend, by Monday, Tuesday we will charge them to court,” he said.
He also denied allegations that the police was responsible for an accident leading to the death of one biker along the Brookfields area in Freetown on Friday 23rd April. It has been confirmed that the man who died was an EDSA worker.
Most of the motor bikes arrested during the operation were reportedly parked at the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority’s headquarters at Kissy road in Freetown.
Speaking to the Authority’s Public Relations Officer, Abdul Karim Dumbuya, he said the authority has over 200 motor bikes in its custody from the operation conducted.
He noted that there are different categories of arrests made ranging from unregistered motor bikes, plying along the demarcated CBD, among others.
However, he said they do not intend to keep the motor bikes in their custody forever but that they are calling on those whose motor bikes were seized because of license to do the necessary registration and collect them, while those who do not have any documentary evidence to prove ownership of the bikes will forfeit them in the end. Dumbuya said those caught within the prohibited areas will be asked to pay a fine of Le 500,000 and be released.
“If you are not licensed at all but you have your correct document, we will encourage you to do the registration, but some do not have documents to prove ownership at all which means they are stolen bikes in that case, they cannot be released,”
He added that predominant among those categories arrested are those without any documentary evidence while some are licensed to operate as private but are being used for commercial purposes.
He confirmed that the Authority’s office were attacked by the irate bike riders who succeeded in taking away six of the motor bikes that were in their custody but said that the police are now deployed at all their facilities because he said they are at threat of attack.
Politico could not get the executive of the Bike Riders Union to comment on the situation but Alimamy Kargbo, a bike rider expressed frustration over the manner in which he said they are treated by the police and officers of the road safety corps. “We are treated unfairly. Some of us have families and it is from this business that we get to sustain our lives and those who depend on us but each day we come to the street, it’s a new pattern and law. They are making the city very tight for us to operate. If you say we should not be at Up-gun or Campbell Street for instance, where now do you want us to ply when those places are where business is for us,” he asked.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online 26/04/21
