By Kemo Cham and Idrissa Conteh (Carzola)
The police in Bo say they have charged six people for riotous conduct in relation to violent clashes in Barry Village in the Valunia chiefdom.
The accused include one Frederic Boju, an ex-staffer of a mining company who police say hired about 20 men to attack workers of the company over grievances emanating from his sacking.
Police Media and Public Relations Officer in the Southern Region, Inspector Mohamed Bobson Senu, told Politico on Saturday that the incident occurred on December 2. He said that their investigation revealed that Mr Boju recruited the some 15 men in Bo, through a suspected accomplice named Hassan Mansaray, on the pretext that they were hiring them for some job. He added that Boju recruited a further six boys in the village, bringing his team of alleged fighters to about 20 boys.
According to the police spokesman, the boys were then told that the assignment was to attack a group of workers at a ridge belonging to the company called Great Scarcies. Senu said some of the boys agreed to fight while others declined.
He further narrated that the workers, aided by the villagers, were able to repel the attack which resulted into several injuries.
“This is why those arrested have been charged with riotous conduct,” the police spokesman said.
Sources told Politico that Boju was aggrieved by the fact that his mining pit was taken away from him and he was in the village to reclaim it.
Some people have reported the missing of their loved ones in relation to the incident. Sources say families are worried over the missing of the 15 boys, although the police spokesman said they have not received any report of missing people.
Mr Abdul Bangura, a resident of Bo, told Politico that his son is among those missing.
Bangura narrated that he wasn’t at home when the recruiter recruited his son. He said the incident occurred two days before they knew about it.
Bangura said they have searched for them with positive sign, noting that they have even visited the village where they suspected that the boys were taken.
“Everyone has different explanation about the missing people. We have done a thorough research but to no avail. We have not got any positive sign about them,” he told Politico, adding: “The matter has been reported to the police, and the police said they will work on that.”
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