By Francis H. Murray
The Sierra Leone Police on Monday resumed enforcement of a longstanding ban of commercial motor bikes (Okada) on routes along the Central Business District (CBD) of Freetown.
The police in a statement last week warned Okada riders against plying on the route. The statement dated Wednesday 9th September said that they have also observed that registered private motor bikes were also being used for commercial purposes within the CBD in violations of their licenses.
‘‘All commercial motor bike operations are banned within the CBD and further makes it an offense for bike riders to ply in areas designated as CBD including those using their private bikes for commercial purpose,’’ the release states.
According to an existing code of conduct signed by the commercial bike riders and the government in 2014, all commercial bike riders are banned from plying the CBD areas in Freetown.
The release comes amidst ongoing discussions involving the police, the campaign group Center for Accountability and the Rule of Law (CARL) and Advoc-aid, in a bid to find a workable solution to the existing issue.
The union representing commercial motor bike riders in one of the discussions with the rights groups accused traffic police of illegally converting bikes they impound into personal use.
The Sierra Leone Bike Riders Union also accused the traffic police of illegally taking ownership of bikes when they arrest their owners for minor traffic offences. They alleged Police detain their members and later release them after their bikes would have been done away with in fraudulent auctioning.
‘‘Henceforth, Okada riders together with their pillions, who disobey this ban, will be arrested and charged to court to face the full force of the law,’’ the notice added.
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