By Donstance Koroma
In a press conference on Friday 13th April, 2018, at the Ministry of Youth Affairs conference room, the governing Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) North West Regional Secretary, Ibrahim Kamara, the SLPP Parliamentary candidate of Constituency 075, Azick M. Conteh, Mayoral , Mrs. Emiley Gogra, party agents and supporters said all intimidation and violence meted out on the party and other political parties in Port Loko District were originated and orchestrated by Alhaji Kemoh Sesay of the then ruling All People’s Congress (APC) Party.
The release furthered that Hon. Kemoh Sesay had a gang of thugs comprising of well over one hundred (100) youths, headed by Abubakarr Conteh, alias D.J. Boxx from Freetown, who the release pointed as the APC North –West Organizing Secretary.
The alleged thugs were hosted in Hon. Kemoh Sesay’s residence along the Kambia highway in the district during the election period.
The release described the thugs as highly drugged with two unregistered pickup vans which were allocated to them by the former Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure. They moved into villages within the township of Port Loko, flogging people and telling them to Pay Attention and declare solely for the APC.
The release continued that, on the 20th February, 2018, campaign banners of their flag bearer, now President Bio, were burnt down in what the release termed as ‘in cover of darkness’. Also, the SLPP parliamentary candidate of Constituency 075, Azick M. Conteh’s campaign banners were stolen or destroyed.
The release pointed out that the North West Regional Secretary, Port Loko, Ibrahim Kamara, alias What For You, was attacked on the morning hours of 5th March, 2018 because the SLPP Parliamentary candidate and Mayoral candidate, Mrs. Emiley Gogra, had gone there to seek refuge after being chased by APC thugs.
On the eve of the March 7th elections, a popular supporter and lecturer of the Ernest Bai Koroma University, Daniel Ernest M. Lavalie, was violently attacked and properties worth millions of Leones destroyed and stolen. He was even threatened with beheading, the said release added.
The release also added that the home of the said lecturer was used for administrative purpose by members of the SLPP during the elections, as equipment like computers, printers and photocopiers, worth thirty million leones (Le30, 000,000), were looted by the APC thugs.
On the 9th March, 2018, Johannah Kuyvenhven Model Preparatory School, owned by the SLPP Mayoral Candidate, Emiley Gogra, was reportedly vandalized and looted because of her political affiliation, the release also revealed.
During the runoff election, the release mentioned that while the SLPP parliamentary candidate was on his way to cast his vote he was verbally attacked and threatened with beheading by some unknown APC thugs. This was only prevented by the timely intervention of the police.
SLPP Councilor aspirant, Alpha Beddor Kamara, was physically attacked by unindentified APC thugs armed with sticks and stones at WCSL Primary School, where he was serving as Supervisor of all polling s in the Port Loko Township.
The release pointed out that all incidences of political violence across the country started in Port Loko district as there is evidence to the effect as recorded by the Sierra Leone Police in Port Loko.