Internal Affairs Minister
By Ralph Sesay
Rtd. Major Sengu Koroma has said in Freetown that the Police will search the convoys of all Presidential flag bearers plying different areas in the country during their campaigns.
The Internal Affairs Minister made this order amidst allegations that the convoy of the SLPP presidential flag bearer is suspected of having arms and ammunition. The Rtd. Major informed SLBC’s Morning Coffee programme that he has pictorial evidence of an AK 47 rifle being spotted among the Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio’s convoy during the incident at Kamalo.
“We are closely studying these pictorial evidences with the security sector with a view to come out with a statement,” the Internal Affairs chief said.
He informed the medium that he would closely work with the CDS and the Inspector General of Police to ensure that these convoys are searched as they crisscross the country. Nobody would be exempted, not even ruling party candidate.
Rtd. Major Sengu spoke on several other issues like the readiness of the Police and other security players to conduct the elections, including a tour he made to all Police formations across the country to ascertain this as well as pointing out to the Police hierarchy possible areas of improvement in the rank and file for the successful conduct of elections in the country.
Political parties are yet to react to this new development by the Police, as the standoff continues between the organization and 17 political parties and civil society, over the ban on vehicular movement on elections day, is still awake.
This decision, to restrict vehicular movement, has received quite an unpopular rating from members of the public, opposition parties and quite recently, a former Government Minister and a staunch member of the ruling party, Dr. Sylvia Blyden.