May 22, 2019
By Patrick Jaiah Kamara
(L-R) FUK Daboh, Elizabeth Turay and Edward Kalia Sesay
Eighteen suspects that have been allegedly attacking Catholic Nuns residing in various parts of the country have been arrested and brought to Freetown.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, F.U.K Daboh told newsmen at an emergency presser at the Police Headquarters on George Street that they were worried over the recent attack perpetrated against the Catholic Sisters across the country.
He said the police would go down the bottom of the attacks as the armed group has been specifically targeting the Catholic Christians during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
“Our concerns are about the method of the attacks. Why are they targeting the Catholic Nuns? Have they been hired by someone/some groups? Sierra Leone is a religious tolerance country and we won’t encourage any movement that will trigger religious war. The police have to do in-depth investigation,” he said.
He said instructions have been given to all police division to protect catholic sisters residing in the country.
“The Sierra Leone Police wants to assure the Catholic sisters that they are safe. Special police guards will be provided to them until will get to the bottom of this investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Director of Crime Services at the Criminal Investigation Department, AIG Brima Jah started off by apologizing for what he described as senseless attack on the Catholic mothers.
“On May 2nd the robbers attached Catholic Sisters in Notre Dame in Bumbuna, on 16 May, Clarissan Catholic sisters of Guadalupe were attacked at Mile 91. There was also another attack and robbery during the early hours of 19 May at the St. Muriado offices in Lunsar. On the same day similar attack was made on the St. Joseph Cluny Sisters in Moyamba and the Missionary Sisters in Kambia,” he narrated.
He stated that with regards the attacks in Bumbuna, three armed robbers were arrested, investigated and were now facing charges in court while those eighteen suspects arrested around Moyamba Districts are been investigated.
In another development, the AIG also confirmed that 44 pupils that were arrested on 17th May for exams malpractice at Kowama, Waterloo Rural district have been charged to court.
In the same vein, the AIG noted that 14 persons including teachers, tenants were arrested on 16th May at the Sierra Leone Muslim Brotherhood for exams malpractices are in custody helping the police with investigation.
He stated that teachers connived with pupils and took them to a secluded location and hired somebody else to write the exams for them which he was very bad to the success of the Free Quality Education.