The ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Most Sierra Leoneans say, is sure to lose 2023 elections if intimidation and harassment of former President Ernest Bai Koroma continues.
The former President has been insistently notified and invited in respect of allegations of graft committed during his tenure. The persistent invitation of the former President on what many referred to as “weak grounds” has angered Sierra Leoneans.
Most now seem determined to stand with the former President to save him from government harassment and intimidation. In most of the intimidation sprees, the country’s graft agency, ACC is constantly used as a tool of oppression against whom the agency has slammed a number of what many consider as weak charges.
Media reports have shown that the ACC chief, Ben Kaifallah would canvass the courts to endorse a warrant for the arrest of the former President since he has failed to show up after several invitations.
As the spree of invitation on the former presidency continues, the ACC has come under the spotlight for constantly undermining business and security in the country. A public notice from the ACC indicated that the former President was supposed to appear at the commission last Thursday to respond to allegations of corruption against him.
The corruption allegations emanated from the investigations of the defunct Commissions of Inquiry which have been in operation for slightly over a year. The COI made adverse findings against the former President in respect of handling state finances, and the matter thus becomes an object for investigation by the ACC.
Last Thursday was a day set aside for the former President to appear at the Commission’s office in Freetown to provide answers to critical questions about the allegations.
The news of former President Koroma’s coming caught many residents in Freetown by surprise, and most had cause to suspend their business and normal activities. Few residents ventured the streets owing to fear of the security consequences the President’s arrival in Freetown would bear on the populace.
Most petty traders on Abacha streets did not show up on that day, a number of shop owners locked their shops, few vehicles were seen on the streets, Few pupils attended school on that day.
Fatmata Bangura trades in assorted provisions on Abacha street, but did not venture the street on the day former President Koroma was to surface in Freetown. She sounds jittery and panic-stricken noting that it would be difficult for state functionaries to maintain security on that day.
“I chose to stay at home so that I can be on the safer side. It is not easy for people to be controlled in a situation of riot and protests,” she said.
She tells this press that she deals with money from a money-lending institution, BRAC meaning she has to pay back what she collected with an interest.
“If my business is destroyed by a single day, where can I get money to pay the BRAC loan,” he says.
The people of Sierra Leone, Fatmata says, still have love for the former President adding that they are ready to sacrifice their lives in defence of him. Protests and pockets of resistance against government officers could not be ruled out.
Fatmata thereby calls on the ACC and other government functionaries to explore other strategies to bring the former President to justice. She says even though ACC pursues justice, they must do so within in a manner that do not affect the commerce and security of the state.
Fatmata is not the only trader affected, but others too.
One of them is Tikdankay Daramy, an hairdresser who owns a saloon on Abacha street. Madam Daramy told Nightwatch that she could not make it to the saloon when she learned that the former President is expected to appear at the ACC in Freetown.
She expressed sentiments similar to Fatmata’s noting that she would not withstand the insecurity that will break out in the face of the arrival of the former President in Freetown.
She also made a similar appeal to the Government and ACC to ensure that the allegations of corruption against the former President are handled in a professional manner.
Most Commercial motorists popularly known as Okada riders were in hideouts waiting for the slightest opportunity. A good number of them did not ride the previous Thursday as they waited the President’s arrival to show solidarity.
An Okada rider who spoke to this press also confirmed that information about the President’s arrival in Freetown came late. “Most of us, the Okada riders did not know earlier the President would be in Freetown to answer to allegations of corruption. We came to know later, and most of our colleagues went into hideouts while others return home,” he said.
The lateness at which the news about the President’s arrival in Freetown reached the Okada riders would not have stopped them to protest in the street in any eventuality.
He says the Okada riders are determined to take to the streets should government make any attempt to arrest and detain the former President.
“We know about the President’s invitation by the ACC very late, but that cannot stop us from putting up the strongest of resistance,” he threatened.
At the time the Okada rider spoke to this press, he made it clear that most riders had been mobilised waiting for the slightest spark. Tricycle riders otherwise known as Keke riders too are affected by the proposed arrival of the former President into Freetown.
A Keke rider, Ishmail Kamara expressed the greatest loyalty to the former President noting that he would not hesitate to give up his life in an event he is arrested by the ACC. HE justifies his statement on the basis that if someone is pushed at the corner, he has no alternative but to bounce back.
In this case, he says, the person will bounce back in a deadly fashion. Kamara pointed out concrete achievements which he said were achieved by the former President adding that good work enders him to the people of Sierra Leone.
Some Internet Cafés in Freetown were locked down in fear of the President’s arrival in Freetown.
An Internet Café on Motor Road, off Bai Bureh Road in Freetown, usually congested by customers remained virtually empty on the day the President was supposed to appear in Freetown.
Its Proprietor and Manger, Mr Andrew Sesay told Nightwatch that he was afraid of his personal safety as well as that of the Café.
“To prevent any financial loss, I must lock the café and stay at home and also monitor the situation,” he said.
The closure of the café creates discomfort to a great many customers especially pupils who sat to the 2019 West African Senior School Certificate Examination who incessantly visit the café to check out for their results.
Instances mentioned above show that several sectors of the economy were badly affected owing to the proposed arrival of the former President to Freetown. The loss the country suffers owing to disruption of business cannot be quantified now, but in the future, bad results are sure to come out.
This is not the first time the ACC has invited the former President for an interview. Almost a month ago, former President Koroma was invited by the ACC to respond to allegations of financial improprieties that took place during his tenure.
A day was also set aside in which the former President was expected to come to Freetown to meet the ACC. The media hype on the invitation of former President Koroma prompted Sierrra Leoneans to be on the standby to welcome and be with him regardless of consequences.
The euphoria that preceded the President’s arrival in Freetown prompted political and social analysts to suggest that an ACC team meet the former President in his hometown of Makeni. The suggestion was accepted, and an ACC team left Freetown to meet with the former President.
The meeting was however not unfruitful as the ACC team could not enter the President’s premises. The team returned to Freetown but business and security was again under threat. Owing to the refusal of the former President to meet with the ACC, the agency’s head, Ben Kaifallah has opted for warrant for the arrest of the former President.
Sierra Leone still waits to see the drama that unfolds.