By Saio Marrah
Two people have been reported dead and five others injured after a confrontation between the locals and security personnel at Yannah village in Tambakha Chiefdom, Karene District, according to Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Kamara, representing 063 in Karene.
Updating the house of parliament on the issue, the lawmaker claimed the incident occurred on the 12th and 13th of July, this year. He later informed Politico that security forces led by the military were in the chiefdom accompanying the newly elected paramount Chiefdom (PC), Kandeh Bamba II, a former police officer. And later, he got a report of an attack on the people from a rival village of the newly elected Paramount Chief. He said the other village had earlier petitioned the election of the chief in a court, but lost the case.
The lawmaker alleged that the two deaths resulted from gunshots discharged by the security forces arguing that the villagers do not have guns. However, that is yet to be confirmed by medics.
The MP said that one Fasineh Sesay, a youth from the village, died on the way to the Kamakwie government hospital while one of the hospitalized persons in critical condition also later died.
However, a statement from the Sierra Leone Police indicated that the security personnel led by the Provincial Secretary of North-West Region, Prince Soriba, and other stakeholders went to escort the elected paramount chief and unveil him to his people and chiefdom authorities in Sanya town as protocol demands but that they met strong resistance from the people “with an unauthorised roadblocks mounted and sharp objects placed on the road so as to stop the free movement of vehicles”.
The statement said after the unveiling ceremony, the team which comprised the District Security Coordinator of Karene and security forces, was again attacked by the inhabitants of Yannah village, during which the Coordinator's vehicle was vandalized and some security personnel seriously injured.
Police noted that during the attack, gunshots were heard, and missiles thrown at the entourage and the security forces.
“After the dust finally settled, one unknown man was met at the outskirts of the village bleeding profusely. He was picked up by the Police and taken to Kamakwie Government Hospital for medical treatment but was later pronounced dead,” the police statement further claimed.
The Criminal Investigations Department at Kamakwie was said to have mounted an investigation on the said incident.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (15/07/22)
