Many more opposition leaders and supporters in Sierra Leone have been arrested for speaking out against the controversial Midterm census as the Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) continues its wave of repression and incarceration of opponents who oppose the census.
Today, Madam Diana Konomanyi , the All People’s Congress (APC ) Regional Chairperson of the Eastern Region , Madam Claudia Femi Cole, Leader of the Unity Party and Mr. Karamoh Kabba , the Deputy Organizing Secretary of the APC became the latest opposition leaders to be held at the CID. They were arrested along with 15 female members of the APC.
Last week, on the instruction of the Inspector General of Police, Ambrose Sovula, two members of the opposition All People’s Congress ( APC ) in Makeni, North Eastern Regional Chairman, Mr. Allie Commoner Kargbo and Bombali District Chairman Mr. A.R. Mansaray were arrested , brought down to Freetown and detained at the CID for several days.
Additionally, the Police in Freetown invited the Chairman of the opposition National Grand Coalition, Dr. Dennis Bright and the Secretary General of the APC, Ambassador Osman Yansaneh, to appear at the CID where they were grilled for hours before being released with stern warning not to speak against the census.
DIANNA KONO ANYI AND APC WOMEN SINGING THE PARTY’S VICTORY SONG
They are all accused of criticizing the illegal manner in which the census is being conducted , which forced two of its international financiers, the European Union ( EU ) and the World Bank to withdraw technical and financial support. Though the international community is opposed to the census, which is perceived as a vain attempt by President Bio to rig the 2023 elections , and the EU and the World Bank delivered his government a big blow by withdrawing from the exercise, and majority of the people do not support it, the defiant and dictatorial President has adamantly continued with the census
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RACHAEL BANGURA , a member of the opposition , explained at Facebook how the latest arrests were carried out by the SLPP:
I have just been to see Femi. She is now in the lock-up and will spend the night there. This morning she accompanied another woman, Diana Konomanyi who had been invited to the CID in regards to a video she made encouraging her Kono people not to take part in the census. Although Femi personally had no invitation, the Police decided to detain her as well at least for a statement. For this, Femi insisted that if they were going to interrogate her about statements she made in the media about the census, they needed to bring the transcript or play the video or audio. After communication between CID and the Attorney General’s office, it was decided that she should be held until they get the transcript, however long it takes. We made some efforts to mediate and to get her out but the authorities are adamant because they feel slighted by her refusal to be interviewed without the transcript. We are meeting the Att. General tomorrow morning at 7.30 am. Another member of COPPP, APC’s Karamoh Kabba was also arrested allegedly for riotous conduct; this is what the Police called the procession that accompanied Konomanyi to the CID. It just happened, as was confirmed by a Police officer, that Mr Kabba was not in the procession but a senior officer named Senessie apparently ordered that he should be arrested and added to the group. They have all been charged to Court and will appear tomorrow. Trouble ahead.
My question is.. So accompanying your fellow woman to CID is crime?
I am clearly seeing here that the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill is something to question. My thoughts.
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