By Musa Paul Feika
A sitting Member of Parliament, Hon. Charlie Abdulai, representing Bo District on Tuesday, 26th January, 2026, raised serious concerns in Parliament over what he described as the “uncivil and unacceptable behaviour” of Sierra Leone’s former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ambrose Soulva, who he alleged assaulted him at the Bo Regional Police Station.
Hon. Abdulai raised the matter under Standing Order (23) during proceedings in the House of Parliament.
The lawmaker further informed the House that the former IGP and his men were “armed to the teeth” and further alleged that officers under his command had tortured an Imam and a pastor, who were reportedly left at the brink of death an incident he said had been widely circulated on social media.
Hon. Abdulai explained that he had gone to the police station in his capacity as a Member of Parliament to represent his constituents, but his official duties were abruptly interrupted by former IGP Soulva.
He described the incident as an affront not only to him personally, but to the entire House of Parliament, stressing that it was unacceptable for a former senior government official to obstruct the constitutional duties of a sitting MP.
“For a man who has served in the highest capacity of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) force, this conduct shows a lack of respect and regard for the SLP,” he said.
He further described the incident as an insult to the people of Sierra Leone and expressed disappointment that such an individual was once appointed to serve in such a high office.
Hon. Abdulai called on the Speaker of Parliament to intervene, noting that other institutions, including the Inter Religious Council, had already taken positions on the matter and urged Parliament to also take a firm stance.
Responding, the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, advised the lawmaker to formally document his complaint and submit it in writing to the Office of the Clerk of Parliament for appropriate action.
Contributing to the debate, the All People’s Congress (APC) Chief Whip, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, drew the attention of the House to longstanding concerns about the security of Members of Parliament, dating back to the Fifth Parliament and continuing into the Sixth.
He stressed that while MPs’ welfare is important, their security is even more critical, arguing that Parliament has failed to take stringent measures to protect its members.
Hon. Kamara noted that several MPs from both the ruling and opposition parties have been publicly humiliated over the years due to inadequate protection.