By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay
The Independent Police Complaint Board (IPCB) has accused the Assistant Inspector General of Police North-East of contempt and misconduct following a complaint brought against him.
Ambrose Sovula, who is also accused of disrespectful behavior towards the IPBC, has been reported to the police leadership over his conduct towards investigations against members of his division.
The IPCB is an independent body charged with the responsibility to investigate the conducts of police officers whiles discharging their duties and provide oversight function to check the excesses of the police force which has been repeatedly accused of brutality.
In a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police, a copy of which Politico has obtained, the Board said Sovula ordered the arrest of a complainant, Idriss Sankoh, while he was in the company of officials of the Board.
Sankoh, a bike rider, was apparently involved in a fracas with police officers, which left him with a broken jawbone.
According to the letter, AIG Sovula ordered the arrest of the complainant when the IPCB team arrived at his station as part of the investigation.
“After briefing, AIG Sovula to our dismay emotionally ordered the arrest and detention of our complainant that was brought to the Mena Police Station by the IPCB and also ordered the indefinite suspension of PC 6589 Kamanda M. F from police duty immediately,” states the letter, signed by Emerlin George, Executive Secretary of the Board.
It alleges that even appeals to consider the medical situation of Sankoh did not sway Sovula’s decision to detain him.
“Even though the IPCB Complaints and Investigations Officer pleaded with the AIG to withdraw his decision and look into the fact of the matter as alleged, not as a verdict due to the fact that Idrissa Sankoh was having a fracture of the jaw bone and urgently needed medical attention, the AIG insisted on his order for the arrest and detention of Idrissa Sankoh and the suspension of PC 6589 Kamanda M. F. in the presence of Mr. Richard S. Freeman, the Chairman of the IPCB,” the letter continues.
The suspended officer, Micheal Fallah Kamanda, is also attached to the Mena Police Station in Makeni.
Several efforts to get AIG Sovula to respond to the allegations proved futile.
This is not the first time the Sierra Leone Police is coming under scrutiny for how they have done their job. Different accountability reports in the past have accused the force of corruption, incompetence and other deficiencies.
A report recently launched by the pro-justice campaign group, the Center for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL), highlighted the alleged complicity of police in dealing with perpetrators of violence against women during the 2018 elections.
Like in all previous reports and accusations, this latest complaint comes as a damning indictment on the character of the Police, which prides itself as a “Force for Good”
The IPCB letter of complaint highlights sections of their mandate said to have been violated by AIG Sovula and calls for action.
“The AIG treated the complainant like a criminal who does not deserve being treated with courtesy and humanity. Also, there was no reason for the AIG to be so obnoxiously disrespectful to the IPCB in the performance of its functions. The IPCB consider this as contempt of the Board under Regulations 26 (e) of the IPCB Regulations, 2013,” it says.
© 2019 Politico Online
