The more prisoners government holds in custody, the more there will be bargaining chips in the near future as the election probe goes on.
Dozens have been arrested and detained since an “attempted coup” was detected and announced by government late last year, and a warrant of arrest for more arrest remains in force.
A red notice has been issued and Sierra Leone Police are ready to work with INTERPOL (International Criminal Police Organisation) to arrest anyone outside the borders of Sierra Leone. Many say the move is to fill the prisons after 1, 890 were made to escape in a jail break in November, last year.
It all came about when renegades in the Sierra Leone Army allegedly took up arms against government to topple President Julius Maada Bio, an act that resulted into the detention of over 50 persons particularly from the North-West regions, strongholds of the main opposition, All People’s Congress.
Almost invariably, dozens in the North-West regions are in custody for Kush-related offences, and the arrest will continue until mission is accomplished. However, the exact mission government is poised to achieve remains unclear.
A vast majority of Sierra Leoneans expect that the investigation by the Tripartite Committee will favour APC as signs have shown clearly. Delays and feet dragging by government after the committee was launched exposed government’s evasive tactics of the election probe.
It also took a long time for government to create the conditions for the committee members to start their work even when the terms of reference document was launched and endorsed almost two months ago.
After all, the PAOPA regime expects swaps and exchanges if the outcome of the Tripartite Committee does not favour them.
Ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma and key prisoners would have been big bargaining chips had they remained in detention, but getting back their freedom means a negative outcome for government.
Currently, security forces would arrest for the least crime to compensate for the runaway inmates.
Dozens of residents in Freetown and other communities in opposition strongholds again have fallen in police net in respect of various crimes especially, ‘Kush.’
Most of those arrested are in police and prison cells as no bail will be granted according to an order issued by Vice President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh.
The arrest will continue in days to come after President Julius Maada Bio has declared a national emergency as a key measure to contain Kush addicts and traffickers.
The declaration of the emergency is linked to the ravaging and deadly nature of the virus after 32 corpses were buried in a mass grave in Freetown.
However, there is fear that the arrest may be extended to key opposition politicians as Kush and coup cases still go on.
The arrest and detention of APC (All People’s Congress)’s Regional Organising Secretary, Abu Bakarr Boxx Conteh resident in neighbouring Guinea, creates fear of further arrest of opposition politicians in the emergency period.
The National Organising Secretary, Bai Mahmoud Bangura is also in prison custody battling with a treason charge, and there is fear that more would follow.
APC Chairman, Minkailu Mansaray and his deputy, Foday Osman Yansaneh also have albatrosses around their necks as they stood surety for ex-President Ernest Bai Koroma while he was under house arrest in respect of the November coup.
Koroma, according to the bail bond, was supposed to show up in court on 6th March, this year, but did not honour such obligations.
At the moment, closed-door trials in respect of the Koroma case, are ongoing with only the judge and lawyers present in chambers while media professionals and court attendees are left in the same courtroom.
The former President also, few days ago, did not appear before the court, raising doubt among the public about government’s real intention about the case.
As the case lingers, Minkailu Koroma and Foday Yansaneh could be roped in anytime if Ernest Koroma is not handed over to the court. It is a trying moment for the duo in whose hands the party’s administration is entrusted. The former President was released on bail so that he could seek medical service in Nigeria, a move which many South-Easterners were opposed to.
President Julius Maada Bio came under fire by members of his party for what they referred to as letting the former President off the hook after the coup.
A senior politician who spoke to this press on condition of anonymity said the negotiation baits the current is throwing to the people of Sierra Leone and the international community is reminiscent of the negotiation scheme of the mid- 1990s during the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC).
After four years in power, the NPRC commanders who toppled then government of President Joseph Saidu Momoh negotiated with the international community to forego various human rights abuses committed under their rule before power was given up.
Apart from the unaccounted killings that took place during NPRC regime, 29 people including police chief, James Bambay Kamara were extra-judicially executed.
The crimes were ignored to ensure that peace and tranquility returned to a post-conflict state.
It was out of the international pardon that none of the NRPC commanders were prosecuted by the defunct Special Court for Sierra Leone. Even when the families of the deceased wept for justice at a time the All People’s Congress came to power in late 2007, the matter was swept under the carpet as the general feeling was to allow sleeping dogs lie.
A similar situation has resurfaced as the PAOPA regime has allegedly committed a number of crimes human rights crimes for which they would be hunted after they leave power. To ensure that heads are kept above waters, the government must have more suspects in their custody which they would use as bargaining chips in the long run.
The rush for more arrest, according to social commentators, boils down to resistance for fresh or rerun election by the PAOPA regime although they are under Pressure by the people of Sierra Leone and the international community.
Sierra Leoneans especially those in the media witnessed an altercation between Governance Advisor, Dr Emmanuel Gaima and the APC representative, Dr Kaifala Marrah over the issue of a rerun election.
In their exchange of words, Dr Emmanuel Gaima was plain and assertive that there would be no rerun election, and that Sierra Leoneans should look forward to 2028 when another election will take place.
This view was also supported by the Information Minister, Chernor Bah who said another election would take place only in 2028. The move for no rerun was first trumpeted by local activists late last year after the communiqué was inked by the two parties, and the fight had been sustained for long years.
However, Dr Marrah who appeared professional and diplomatic told journalists that the Tripartite Committee would not hesitate to recommend a rerun if significant irregularities are discovered.
Almost all election observation missions frown at the results of the June 24, 2023 multi-tier elections saying it “lacked transparency” at all stages especially tallying and tabulation.
Even local election observation group, NEW (National Elections Watch) also did not endorse the elections results as one that reflect the will of the people.
NEW, is an umbrella organisations specialised in election observation in reporting in Sierra Leone and has been carrying out such function since the democratisation of Sierra Leone in 1996. NEW Chief, Marcella Samba Sesay was blunt to say in a radio interview that none of the candidates won the election and that a run off could not be avoided.
However, Chief Electoral Commissioner, Mohamed Kenewui Konneh has turned down calls to publish the results by polling stations and districts, an omission that shows that the bubble may burst at any time, but the bargaining chips may cool down troubled waters.