Sierra Leone Police officers still chase those suspected of taking part in the August 10, 2022 protest.
Several people have been arrested, investigated and charged to court for protest-related offences.
Andrew Hassan Bangura was the latest to be called for questioning over his alleged involvement in the protest although he was not in Sierra Leone at that time.
Information reaching this press showed that he was called by one of the detainees during police investigation.
Andrew Hassan Bangura was invited by the Criminal investigation Department on 14th December, 2023 to help the police in their investigation, and was eventually detained in police custody where he spent four days with little or sometimes no food at all. He was accused of inciting and fuelling a protest that would have seen President Julius Maada Bio out of power.
Like other suspects held at a detention camp called Benghazi, Andrew Hassan Bangura was tortured by police officers to extract confessional statements from him. He was however released on bail on 18th December, 2023 and ordered to report daily at 10am.
Andrew Hassan Banguta reported for three days starting from 19th-22nd December, 2023, but had cause to escape owing to his previous bad experience as well his co-suspects.
He fled to neighbouring Guinea where he sought refuge before he left for the United States.
The protest was one staged against a cost-of-living crisis calling for President Julius Maada Bio to step aside. It was a bit violent as 30 people lost their lives.