August 17, 2016 By Joseph S. Margai
The Local Unit Commander (LUC) of the Kambia Police Division, Superintendent Francis Hazeley, has assured maximum protection for workers of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA).
He made this statement recently after some commercial motor bike riders allegedly beat up a vehicle examiner attached to the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority in Kambia.
When asked about the security of SLRSA officials who were afraid to go out and preform their lawful duties, the Police boss said since the day of the incident, he had deployed his personnel at the SLRSA’s office in Kambia to protect workers.
Supt. Hazeley narrated that on Thursday 21st July, 2016, at about 1100hours, one Osman Yealie Sankoh came to the Police station with human bite wounds on his body and alleged that he was bitten by an SLRSA vehicle examiner.
“As Police officers, our primary duty is to protect lives and properties. I ushered him in and issued him with a medical form after recording his report. After 20 minutes, Rev. Francis Kanu Mansaray arrived at the station and alleged that he was beaten up by a group of commercial motor bike riders,” he explained.
He said the vehicle examiner was also issued with a police medical form.
He disclosed that after a few days, both of them came to the Police station and that the vehicle examiner handed over to the Police, his endorsed medical form for continuous investigation, while the commercial motor bike rider failed to do so.
“After a few days, the okada rider was asked to bring along his witnesses but he failed to do so. The vehicle examiner’s investigation was completed and his medical form endorsed. We put up a warrant of arrest for the okada rider because he was nowhere to be seen. Himself and his witnesses were on the run,” he stated.
He noted that the okada rider however ran out of luck and was arrested together with his chairman and both of them were charged to court.
He said from the investigation, the okada riders complained of too much harassment from the vehicle examiner and his team, hence they decided to attack and beat him up.
He said the vehicle examiner told police that motor bikes were carted away from the SLRSA’s office in Kambia.
Chief Administrator of the Kambia District Council, Alhaji Alhaji Bangura said the authorities were taking appropriate steps in addressing the issue.
He added that the authorities in Kambia were looking into the matter to ensure that human rights were not tampered with in the entire episode.
“This situation is being given the required attention because it is a gross violation of the law. I have said it several times that this situation cannot be tolerated anymore, where a set of people can just take the laws into their own hands,” he said.
He noted that the SLRSA’s officials were working in the interest of government to ensure effective revenue generation.