By Mathew Kanu in Makeni
Police in Kamakwie have stepped up campaign against armed robbery and other forms of lawlessness in the Sella Limba Chiefdom. But they denied imposing a curfew saying community policing was taking shape in the chiefdom.
The Kamakwie police local unit commander, Tamba Alfred Kargbo said police patrols were on duty day and night and would continue. Mobile patrol teams are all over the chiefdom in a very proactive manner, he said.
“Our concern is to protect our people from armed robbery and to ensure that business and agricultural proceeds are not hindered in any way” Kargbo said.
In July thieves broke into two shops in Kamakwie and carted away with property worth millions of leones.
Kargbo blamed it on the fact that many young people are out of the mine, emphasising that the majority of them stopped mining some two months ago. He said police presence in the town was thin, warning that the issue must be taken seriously.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Northeast said police in the area numbered close to 100. Soluku Conteh said that was what they had got and could afford for the time being. He said everyone was aware of the fact that the issue of policing had been a joint venture between the police and the community.
A teacher in Kamakwie, John T Koroma told Politico that the police were doing well by sensitising the people as well as conducting night patrols.
(C) Politico 05/09/13
