Francis Munu, Police Boss
By Allieu Sahid Tunkara
Military personnel attached to the chief executive officer of the National Ebola Response Centre, Palo Conteh, on Monday assaulted two traffic police officers as they executed their duty, Politico can report.
The incident took place in the morning hours at the Model Junction, central Freetown, amidst long traffic congestion, mainly on Berry Street.
The NERC boss, who was Sierra Leone’s defence minister before he was given the special assignment of coordinating the national Ebola fight, was in the traffic jam. The assault victims, police constables Aruna Tholley and Ibrahim Kanneh, were controlling traffic at the intersection of Circular Road, Berry Street and OAU Drive when three military personnel descended a green Toyota Hilux vehicle on Berry Street and shoved them from the junction.
The soldiers, who were armed with Ak-47 assault rifles, then took over the traffic control.
At the scene, Politico observed that the soldiers never explained to the police officers anything as to why they were taking over the traffic control but they continued like that for several minutes before an argument eventually ensued between them and the traffic police.
One of the soldiers cocked his gun against one of the police officers who immediately withdrew from the scene.
A plain-clothed man, who identified himself as a guard to the NERC boss, empathized with the assaulted police officers and advised them to exercise restraint.
“This is boys’ game,” he said.
As tension continued to build up, one of the police officers said he had gotten across to police authorities by phone.
“I have informed authorities about the incident,” Tholley told Politico.
About 10 minutes later, the NERC boss arrived in a black jeep. A moment after his vehicle pulled up, the aggrieved police officers rushed forward and tried to report the matter to him.
While the Police officers were trying to put their case across, the situation became rowdy again as another argument broke out between the police officers and the army personnel.
At that point, The NERC boss drove off with his convoy, having advised the police officers to meet him at his Special Court office later to make a formal complaint.
When contacted, the National Traffic Coordinator of the SLP, Superintendent Ambrose Michael Sovula, confirmed to Politico that he was aware of the incident. He said an investigation into the matter had already been launched. He however refused to specify what line of action the police high command would take.
Director of Communication in the Ministry of Defence, Colonel Michael Samura, said he was not aware of the incident since nobody informed him about it. But, he explained to Politico, it had been a routine for soldiers attached to the NERC CEO to descend from their vehicle and clear the way whenever the former Defence minister was held up in traffic. Col. Samura said the NERC boss should handle any problem that arose in the process.
“Probably he must have solved the problem,” the defence ministry spokesman said.
© Politico 14/05/15
