Reports reaching Africa24 newspaper has intimated that one Alieu Sesay, 40 who is presumed to be a staunch supporter of the opposition All :Peoples’ Congress (APC) party, has been declared wanted by the police in relation to the Wednesday 10th August 2022 protest which resulted in the death of civilians including police officers.

Sources say police want to question Alieu Sesay in relation to the August 10th incident as he was seen among the protesters who were demonstrating against the ruling government of President Julius Maada Bio whom they accused of poor human right records and his government high handedness against members and supporters of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party.

The demonstrators had converged on that day to express their dissatisfaction of the rising cost of living, massive youth unemployment, the clamp down of perceived opponents in expressing themselves freely due to the rampant human right abuse and serially killings executed by Lahai Lawrence Leema, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs a known operatives of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) led by President Bio.

Reports have it that authorities in Freetown viewed Alieu Sesay as one of the key figures of the August 10, 2022 mass protest against the SLPP government, as he is deemed to be an alleged supporter of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party.

Information gathered by Africa24 newspaper indicates that Alieu was seen playing active role in canvassing demonstrators to protest in what they referred to as worst standard of living in the history of Sierra Leone under President Bio. They further accused the president of high level of corruption, nepotism, tribalism, poor handling the economy and fiscal mis-management of the national resources by imposing his wife as a key figure in state affairs that is totally against the Constitution of Sierra Leone and also the intimidation and harassment of political opponents especially APC members.

Initially, the demonstration started peacefully on that fateful day, however the peaceful stage of the protest later turned out to be violent and bloodbath due to the massive crowd that poured out on the streets of Freetown which ended up paralyzing the capital city as security forces were unable to contain the demonstrators. There was total panic by police which led them to openly fire teargas canisters and live round of bullets on demonstrators a situation that resulted into killings of both civilians and police officers

Alieu Sesay was widely seen on that day leading demonstrators to express their disappointments against the government for their failure to create jobs. Some of the demonstrators interviewed by the Africa24 newspaper stated that due to the high rate of youth employment and economic hardship most youths have become vulnerable and taken into drug addiction, arm robbery and other criminal acts in order to eke out living.

Since the protest on August 10th, the Government of Sierra Leone through the Sierra Leone Police and the Committee instituted by the Office of the President to investigate the incident, has continued to conduct indiscriminate arrests and detentions of people they consider as supporters of the opposition APC.

The Julius Maada Bio-led government described the protest as faceless, saying it was not a peaceful demonstration but a terrorist act by the youth, which claimed the lives of innocent citizens including six police officers.

Information gathered by Africa 24 newspaper disclosed that the residence of Alieu Sesay at 12 Rowe Street, Freetown was raided by Lahai Lawrence Leema alongside heavily armed officers accompanied by the death squad thugs loyal to SLPP in an effort to kill Alieu Sesay in cold blood in order to silence him everlastingly. Fortunately for Alieu he was able to have escaped to an undisclosed location.

In a related ugly development SLPP thugs conducted another raid at Alieu’s house again but could still not find him, however his elder brother Abu Sesay was seriously tortured as they accused him that he knows the whereabouts of his brother. A death threat message was left with Abu by these thugs who promised to execute Alieu whenever they set eyes on him.

Due to the raid and beatings of family members of Alieu Sesay’s at their residence at Rowe Street, his grandmother who was a hypertensive patient couldn’t withstand the every raid died in the process.

Operation man hunt was conducted as those arrested are said to be kept in inhumane conditions at unknown locations without access to legal representation and their families. It is further revealed that they are yet to be brought before a magistrate or a competent court of law to answer to the allegations made against them.

Due to Alieu’s involvement in the August 10th incident which may be damaging to the human right records of the Government of Sierra Leone and expose police brutality; hence the rush and desperate need by the police to apprehend him so as to brought charges against him.

As at press time we are unable to reach Alieu, who is believed to be on the run from persecution and prosecution. Report further stated that the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Lahai Lawrence Leema and thugs of the SLPP have vowed to eliminate Alieu anytime.