Over August 10th Protest… Abu Bakarr Sesay declared Wanted by Sierra Leone Police

 By Suliaman T. Jalloh

Reports reaching Voice of Salone Newspaper states that one Abu Bakarr Sesay, residing at No. 23 Robissie Road, Calaba town, Freetown, has been declared ‘Wanted Person’ by the Sierra Leone Police in connection with his involvement in the August 10th 2022 violent riot that took place in Freetown, which resulted the death of some civilians and 6 police officers.

According to investigation, it was revealed by family source of Abu Bakarr Sesay that the latter’s was within the vicinity of his house on 11th August 2022, a day after the said riot, and when the news broke out that police were raiding houses in Sesay community.

Upon hearing this, Sesay had to go to his home and alerted his family members that some youths in the community known to be supporters of the ruling SLPP party, had told the armed forces that he was among the rioters that participated in the August riot and he must been arrested and face the music.

Family sources continued that Abu Bakarr Sesay was in his house on that fateful day in the morning hours when some armed security personnel accompanied by irate youths (who were holding machetes, sticks, guns and knives), standing towards a security jeep with no registration number later forced their way into Abubakarr house, and broke his front door.

Upon breaking Abubakarr front door, the Security Forces and the armed Youths bundled Abubakarr out of his house and took him to the Police station for questioning.

Sesay spent his night at the stinky police cell on that very day, but later escaped from police custody through the help of his brother.

A close friend to Abubakarr Sesay explained to this writer that after Sesay escaped from police custody, he immediately returned to his house, to make sure that his younger ones were safe before the security forces stormed the house in search of Abubakarr and asked everybody in the house to seat on the floor, and mounted thorough search for Abu Bakarr Sesay, but he was no longer to be found.

The Police, however, asserted with the suspicion that Abubakarr Sesay escaped through the back door of the house when they had a vehicle screaming to a sudden halt outside the house.

That led them to issue threatening remarks of killing the family of Abubakarr if they refuse to produce him. They ransacked and turning the house upside down, but he is no longer to be found.
After searching the house, the armed officers left the house with a remarks that they would return to the house again and will not relent until they get rid of Abubakarr.

Another Friend of Abu Bakarr Sesay that stayed in the neighborhood spoke to this medium on the condition of anonymity, that when Abu Bakarr Sesay absconded his house on 11th August 2022, he seek refuge at his house until 4th October 2022, and stated that Abu Bakarr Sesay suddenly left his house, based on the notion that he was spotted by some youths, whom, he was leaving with in the same area where he was hunted.

However, what has been the norm after the August 10 riot was that security forces, in the company of ruling party youths and thugs, raided homes of known opposition supporters, and arresting them and in some cases taking them to unknown places.

Some of these arrested individuals hardly come back to the community because they feared that they could be killed.

He added that since Abu Bakarr Sesay left his house, his whereabouts is unknown.

Family members also stated that since Abu Bakarr Sesay left his house on the night of 11th August 2022, he is yet to return, neither did he had any idea about his whereabouts.
They feared for Abu bakarr life, especially when the news of people being summarily executed by the security forces in reprisal for the 6 police officers said to have been killed during the said riot.

An investigation mounted by this writer revealed that a lot of opposition supporters and members were targeted after the August 10 incident; some were killed and others were arrested and dumped in unregistered vehicle enroute to unknown locations.

As the media pressed the police to comment on those youths who were declared wanted and presently on the run, the media officer of the SierraLeone Police explained that a list of wanted persons had been published, but there are others that they are looking for that are not captured in the wanted list, and that they will not relent until they bring all of the suspects to book.

As we go to press, the whereabouts of Abu Bakarr Sesay is still unknown, and family members are afraid that he may have been killed.

Furthermore, many people who had been killed during the August 10 riots had not been identified by their relatives and loved ones as their remains had been decomposed at the country’s mortuary under heavy police and military protection.