By Stephen V. Lansana
The main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party on Sunday, April 2, 2023 accused the Sierra Leone Police of “attempting to assassinate” their party Leader and Presidential Candidate, Dr. Samura Kamara at the Mile 38 checkpoint, some 61.2 kilometers from the capital, Freetown.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Sidi Yahyah Tunis said in a statement that the party is highly concerned about Government’s increasing use of state institutions, particularly the Police and military, against APC party, its leaderships and supporters.
“Today, troops of armed police and military personnel blocked the peaceful convoy of our leader and presidential candidate, Dr. Samura Kamara, at the Mile 38, some 61.2 kilometers from the capital Freetown,” APC said in a statement on Sunday.
APC alleged that Dr Samura Kamara was accompanied by an orderly peaceful and unarmed supporters when armed police and military personnel stopped the convoy, accosted him and his entourage with teargas and live ammunition.
APC said that they are concerned about the arrest of some of their supporters at the scene. “Of particular concern is the deliberate firing of teargas canisters under the vehicle carrying our Leader and Presidential Candidate but more so the firing of live rounds in his presence and at the tyres of vehicles belonging to his aides,” APC said.
“APC believes that this was an assassination attempt, which could have gone terribly wrong if it were not for the peaceful nature of our leader and his patriotic and mature handling of the unfortunate and irresponsible behavious of the police,” he said.
The Party said that while they strongly condemn this assassination attempt on their leader and presidential candidate, “we are proud of our leader’s patriotism and leadership in effectively diffusing such unprovoked animosity and potentially explosive situation”.
APC has therefore demanded for the immediate release of all their supporters arrested at the scene, as well as a speedy and conclusive investigation of those involved in the Mile 38 obstruction and disturbances.
In reaction to the Mile 38 incident, the Police said that Dr. Samura Kamara left Lungi with a 10 vehicle convoy, whilst the Police provided security coverage, whilst the number of the vehicles on his convoy kept increasing along the way. The police said that by the time the convoy reached Mile 38 Checkpoint, the vehicles on the convoy were over 50 and the Police had to halt their movements, with the view to engage the team, in respect of the gentleman’s agreement which limits the presidential candidate’s convoy to only 10 vehicles.
According to the Police press release, they [Police] insisted that the gentleman’s agreement must be adhere to, whilst Dr. Samura Kamara and team, in the other hand, defiantly told the Police that they must allow all the vehicles on the convoy to pass through the checkpoint to Freetown.
“Some of the overzealous supporters in the convoy even removed shirts and physically confronted the Police. Social media is awash with such videos,” the Police said. “At this point, the Police had to disperse the crowd to restore law and order and reopen the route to normal traffic.”
The police denied fire live rounds.
The Police assured that they will continue to be fair to all citizens and political parties at all times.
The police said that the incumbent government has always obtained due clearance for all the political meetings and welcoming ceremonies.
In its twitter account,
the German Embassy in Freetown twitted on Sunday that “deeply concerned about reports of an incident involving Dr. Samura Kamara convoy at Mile 38. Grateful of IGP and CDS interventions. Calling for utmost restraint to assure a peaceful campaign and peaceful fair, inclusive multiparty, multi-candidate elections with a level playing field.”