The Vice-Chairman of the Commercial Bike Riders Union in Shell in the east of Freetown, Alusine Bah, has said that Police and Traffic-Wardens in the community usually charge and unlawfully take money from them.
He said on Saturday January 23, 2021 that, the activities of the police and traffic wardens in the community have affected operations of the Union and its members.
Bah said that, Police and the Wardens demand money from their members even when they produce all their documents authorizing them to operate as Commercial Bike Riders.
He also alleged that the authorities sometimes charge them with Le 400,000 upon arrest even when they have done nothing wrong , stating, “We are not condemning their charges, but they should be charging us for the right purpose. Sometimes, if we refuse to pay the money requested, they take away our keys, licenses and even our bikes”.
Bah explained that areas which government recommended for bike riders were all restricted by the Police and the Wardens.
He said, “We were asked by the government to ply from Texaco to Cline Town, but whenever we approach Up-gun we would be arrested and when we asked them for the reason for the arrest they will tell us it is operation.”
He said the Union’s statistics for 2020 to 2021 shows that it has 551 registered members. He said, about 75% are youths and among their numbers they have graduates and students striving to pay their college fees.
He added that they had tried on several occasions for their voices to be heard by the authorities concerned, but they are yet to be heard.
“This is really affecting us. How can we survive, when every day we are working for Police and the Wardens. Some of our riders usually work for masters and without paying master, according to the agreement, the bike would be taken away from the individual who in turn will be jobless,” he stressed.
“Government could not employ all the youths in the country, so finding themselves in bike riding is a help to the individual and the government as a whole,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Police and the Wardens at the community, who chose to be anonymous, said that they do not arrest any bike rider unless they conflict with the law.
He said that the allegations from the Union and its membership are wrong.
By Ibrahim S. Bangura
27/01/2021. ISSUE NO: 7989