It is now over 48 hours since the SLPP Government arrested the leaders of the Consortium of Progressive Political parties ( COPPP) —Mrs. Femi Claudius Cole and Dr. Dennis Bright. Both leaders were arrested and detained by the Police on Sunday July 3 , a day before Monday’s successful strike action and street protests by women that crippled the country.
THREE days after their arrest and incarceration, the political leaders have not been granted bail or charged. This has brought more disenchantment and disaffection within the nation and the government is being blasted on social media by angry Sierra Leoneans.
On Monday, the former President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association , Mrs. Basita Michael , reported the following update on social media :
This morning, together with colleagues from @ILRAJ, we visited Dr. Femi Claudius-Cole and Dr. Dennis Bright at the CID.
Initially, we were told we needed the approval of the Operations Officer. However, another officer intervened and allowed us access together with members of the Press.
The Mayor of Freetown, lawyer Wara Serry-Kamal, lawyer Alpha Amadu Bah (MP) and lawyer Hassan Kamara were also present.
We spoke to Dr. Dennis Bright. Following our conversation, I was left perplexed as to the reasons for his detention. All he did was to accompany Dr. Femi Claudius-Cole to the CID.
Dr. Bright seems unwell. He informed us that he needs to make preparations for the funeral arrangements for Mrs. Philomena Yumkella.
During our meeting,we were informed that a warrant had been issued to search the premises of the Unity Party on allegations that there were arms and ammunition in the said office. Together with the Mayor and our colleagues, including Wara and Alpha, we accompanied Dr. Claudius-Cole and the police team comprising over a dozen police officers to the Unity Party office.
We waited there until the search was conducted in the presence of lawyers. The Mayor and I stayed downstairs. The search took over an hour. At the end of the search, we were informed that no arms or ammunition were found on the premises.
From the search at the party office, Dr. Claudius-Cole was taken to the CID. We were then told that there was another search warrant for her house at Syke Street. Lawyers and the Mayor accompanied the police to her residence. On our arrival, we met over a dozen armed Police Officers outside her house, including OSDs. They searched the house, garage, store, etc and found nothing.
Dr. Claudius-Cole was taken back to the CID and is still in custody. Our pleas for her and Dr. Dennis Bright to be granted bail fell on deaf ears. Dr. Bright has still not been informed of the reasons for his detention.
MEANWHILE , THE NATIONAL GRAND COALITION ( NGC ), which Dr. Bright heads, has called for the release of the two leaders.
*NGC GLOBAL MEDIA TEAM *
*UGLY HEAD OF DESPOTISM*
*AS NGC CHAIRMAN IS DETAINED*
*On the eve of a legitimate mass protest against the crushing impact of the ongoing fuel crisis and worsening economic hardship, prominent Opposition Leaders in Sierra Leone- Dr Denis Bright ( NGC Chairman) & Mrs Femi Claudius Cole ( Chairperson of Consortium of Progressive Political Parties) have been detained on trumped up charges of “incitement to violence”*
*Most worryingly, democrats all over the world would have already been shocked at the instinctive aversion of this PAOPA Government to public protests. In any normal society , citizens must be allowed to exercise their freedom of expression without being harassed or threatened with dubious charges designed to deliberately squash dissent.*
*This government habitually trumpets the values of democracy or essence of public discipline but quite often, the selective application of justice makes a mockery of the whole process. If Sierra Leone is to be considered to be amongst civilised nations of the world , then
DEMOCCRACY MUST ALWAYS PREVAIL!!!*
*WE THEREFORE DEMAND THE PROMPT RELEASE OF THESE OPPOSITION LEADERS AND THEIR RIGHT TO PEACEFUL & LEGITIMATE PROTEST RESTORED.*
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