By Umaru Fofana
Fourteen senior military officers have been retired from the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF). They include eight Generals among them the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt General Brima Bureh Sesay and the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, Major General DTO Taluva whose position has now been scrapped.
Six Brigadiers-General, including the head of the Navy, Commodore S. Kanu, have also been retired. The other Brigadiers are M.M Samoura, H.S Jomo, A. Bangura, U. Turay and A.K. Fefegula.
Four Colonels (P. Koroma, L. Tucker, A. Sandi and S. Lansana) as well as two Lt Colonels (T. Yamba and J. John) are to also leave.
According to Major Yayah Brima, a defence public relations officer, the retirements are in line with the provisions of the law governing the armed forces including the Army Orders No 1, and had been “duly approved by the Defence Council” which is headed by the president.
He said 95% of the retirees had either reached the retirement age of 55 years or would clock it later this year. Asked why the remaining 5% had been retired if they had not yet attained the age to do so, he said “the Defence Council does not explain such reasons”.
When put to him that the remaining 5% had been sent on early retirement and if so why, he agreed that they had indeed been sent on early retirement, but insisted that such was allowed for by law. But again he would not give reasons, maintaining that none of them had more than one year to attaining the compulsory retirement age of 55 years.
“These are NO dismissals”, Major Brima stressed. He explained thus: “People who are dismissed from the armed forces go without their benefits, have their uniforms removed instantly and are evicted from the barracks or quarters immediately”.
He said the retired officers would remain in their quarters until the end of the year, will receive their salary until the end of the year and will be paid their full end-of-service benefits.
“Respecting the retirement age is important for many reasons, including the upward mobility of junior officers, something that is crucial for morale”, Maj Brima went on.
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