By Kemo Cham
China is once again using its ‘long history of bilateral cooperation’ with Sierra Leone to seek for support in its bid for a seat on the governing body of the International Criminal Police Organisation, better known as Interpol.
This was the subject of discussion when a Chinese diplomat visited the chief of Sierra Leone`s police, Inspector General Francis Alieu Munu, this week.
Mr Xinmin Wang, Deputy Head of Mission at the Chinese Embassy in Freetown, held talks with Mr Munu on Thursday where they discussed key issues of cooperation between the Chinese Embassy and the Government of Sierra Leone, the Police Communication Unit said in a news release letter dispatched to the media.
China has had a dominant effect on Sierra Leone, which has been prominent within the last decade.
China is particularly notable for its help in the form of infrastructure. The building currently housing the headquarters of the Sierra Leone Police, for instance, was built by the Chinese in 1982.
But the Asian giant is also getting some things in return, although very seldom netion is made of these.
For instance, Chinese contractors get almost all the mouthwatering contract these days, especially when it comes to road construction.
In the mining sector, which is the dominant economic activity in the West African country Chinese firms occupy the top.
Their presence was even further boosted earlier this year when the Chinese company Shandong took over control of the largest mining company in the country, African Minerals Sierra Leone Limited.
Interpol is set to hold its 84th annual General Assembly next month in the Rwandan capital, Kigali. At this event the organization will elect its next Executive Committee, the governing body.
China is eying a seat on the Asian seats.
Mr. Wang, according to Police Headquarters, also raised the issue of the alleged murder of a Sierra Leonean by suspected Chinese at the Bintumani Hotal.
According to reports, two Chinese were in police custody at the Criminal Investigation Department over the issue.
Mohamed Alpha Jalloh was a butcher who supplied the Chinese run hotel that`s partly owned by the Sierra Leone government. The family of the deceased man believed there was a foul play in his death.
But preliminary report from the police, according to reports, indicates there was no contact between the victim and his alleged attackers.
At the meeting with the Police chief, the final outcome of that investigation was announced for the first time to Chinese diplomat.
According to the Police Communications Unit, IG Munu told the Chinese envoy that the police investigation had proved that the allegations were “baseless” and that CCTV footage had exonerated the Chinese suspects.
Unfortunately for China, in the case of the Interpol contest, Sierra Leone had no plans to attend the Rwanda meeting due to a prevailing ban on Ebola affected countries. Sierra Leone, sources say, will be represented by a team from its mission in Ethiopia.
The police headquarters did not indicate clearly if or how Sierra Leone can be of help to China
(C) Politico Online 16/10/15
