Reports reaching news desk of Africa24 newspaper has intimated that one Christopher Sesay, of Allen Town 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 Christopher 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 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 rights abuse and serially killings executed by known operatives of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) led by President Bio.
Reports have it that authorities in Freetown viewed Christopher Sesay, as one of the protesters of the August 10, 2022 mass demonstration against the SLPP government, for which he is deemed to be an alleged supporter of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party.
Information gathered by Africa24 newspaper indicates that Christopher Sesay, was visibly seen canvassing demonstrators to stage a peaceful protest in what they referred to as worst standard of living for decades in the history of Sierra Leone under President Bio.
They further accused the president of high level of corruption, nepotism, tribalism, poor handling of the economy and fiscal miss-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
Christopher Sesay, was widely seen among the demonstrators expressing 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, armed 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, have 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 reveals that 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 these allegations made against them.
Due to Christopher Sesay’s involvement in the August 10th incident which may be damaging to the human rights 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 Christopher, who is believed to be on the run from persecution and prosecution.