January 11, 2019
By Patrick Jaiah Kamara
Deputy Director of Operations, Supt. John N. Senesie ,reading the police guard policy
Deputy Head of Operations at the Operational Support Division (OSD) of the Sierra Leone Police, Superintendent John N. Senesie, has disclosed that while three of the state security personnel deployed to the erstwhile sacked Vice President, Alhaji Samuel Sam Sumana, were under custody helping the police with investigations, the remaining two were currently at large.
“The three men are currently in our custody investigating them for disobedience of lawful order given to them by their superiors,” he said.
The investigations ensued after the Inspector General of Police requested the withdrawal of state security personnel that were attached to Sam Sumana, but the armed police officers refused to adhere to the call until they were forcefully withdrawn.
Superintendent Senesie yesterday told newsmen at the Police Headquarters that the Policy on Deployment of Sierra Leone Police armed security personnel did not cover provisions of security to relieved vice president.
“Section 21(2) of the Policy on Deployment of Sierra Leone Police armed security personnel, clearly stated that former vice president of Sierra Leone are entitle to armed guards to provide security for them on 24hrs basis. But in this very policy, there is nothing that obliges us to provide armed security personnel to relieved vice president,” he said
He said it was based on the foregoing account that the Senior Management of the police force instructed Augustus Magnus Kallie, Director of the Operational Support Division to call back the security forces, with the view of taking stock of the arms and ammunition that were in their possession.
“Even though the instruction was given to the said personnel, they failed to adhere. They failed to know that they are serving the state through the institution of the SLP. They vehemently denied the instructions given to them by their superiors. It was only yesterday morning when three of the said guards were forcefully withdrawn, together with two rifles. Till this time, the two guards are with him while the other two are at large,” he said.