By Ragan M. Conteh
A member of the opposition Coalition for Change (C4C) party, Aiah James Mbendaquia, aka AJ, has been reportedly in custody at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for eight (8) days now.
According to the C4C Secretariat, Aiah James Mbendaquia was in a meeting aimed at reforming the party and conducting their lower level elections when he was forcefully arrested and detained in Koidu, and later transferred to the CID in Freetown.
According to the Secretariat, Aiah James Mbendaquia was arrested for alleged threatening remarks made against one Mohamed Komba, aka M One, four years ago in 2019.
They said AJ threatened to kill Komba if he continued using insulting and abusive language against his mother.
They Secretariat said this issue had long ago been forgotten by both sides of the issue they called brothers in the C4C party, until AJ decided to contest against Hon Emerson Lamina for Member of Parliament.
AJ according to the C4C Secretariat is a member of the court ordered twenty-one (21) man interim committee, adding that the C4C assigned Mbendaquia to Bo and Pujehun to conduct their primaries. The Secretariat said the party is now constrained due to AJ’s arrest, which is a challenge for the party’s chances in the pending 2023 general elections.
According to C4C Executive, Mohamed Komba who allegedly ordered the arrest of his brother AJ is reportedly a Hon Emerson Saa Lamina loyalist.
Meanwhile, others in the C4A have alleged that Emerson Lamina is behind AJ’s detention for wanting to contest against him. The Secretariat said for a peaceful opposition member to be detained for eight days without bail is a violation of his human and constitutional rights.
The party therefore called on the leadership of the Sierra Leone Police and the International Community to intervene as they have done all they could with all efforts proving futile as no one has listened to their plea for the release of their party member.
This medium intends on following up with the CID to acquaint us with the matter in subsequent days.