WITH RALPH SESAY
As Sierra Leoneans go to the polls there is an increasing doubt over the neutrality of the Police and other state institutions. Whiles one would agree with some of the accusations levied against them, but some, for goodness’ sake, are just mere political gimmicks.
The Police have been on record in being accused of impartiality by both political parties. A case in point was accusations by Ernest Koroma and the APC, levied against Brima Acha Kamara’s regime.
In 2007 the APC alleged that their leader was about to be assassinated at a guesthouse in Bo by late Tom Nyuma. We did not see much Police action and the Police came under the spotlight for that inaction.
When the APC came to power similar accusations are being continued by the SLPP. The Sierra Leone Police are a Sierra Leonean institution with credible Sierra Leoneans. I had an opportunity to work and interface with most of them and I have a firsthand knowledge of what I say.
The way and manner some politicians normally take the Police is sometimes unreasonable.
Julius Madda Bio of the SLPP sometimes ago wrote a letter to the National Electoral Commission making some very serious allegations against the Police – that he has no authentic evidence to prove.
His letter catalogued a number of allegations against the Police. According to him, the Police use or give uniforms to thugs on elections day and these thugs would intimidate and beat up SLPP polling agents. He also accused the entire Police of engaging in double voting and ballot stuffing.
Can we please have the evidence of these very serious allegations? How can the management board of the Police fall so low to do such a thing? Is it that our Senior Police officers would just go one way against the SLPP, putting their hard worn credibility into the dustbin, for what?
We should learn to respect our institutions and create a common ground if ever we suspect they are going out of their mandate. Our Policemen and women are acclaimed highly internationally, for hugely contributing to international World Peace and this should not just be destroyed by individuals with high ambitions to capture political power.
With all these frivolous allegations, by the SLPP, our Police are still highly commendable over the years for conducting peaceful and free elections except with very few issues that have not got the tendency to taint the polls.
I have followed with keen interest reports of election observers in the country’s elections and I stand to be corrected, that much of the spotlight has not been around them for very serious issues.
We very well know what obtains in other Police forces in Africa, where the Police have been heavy-handed with opposition outfits, to the extent that opposition concerns and opinions are not accommodated during or before elections. Opposition leaders are even incarcerated on the eve of elections whiles opposition rallies are overwhelmed by Police officers in riot gears and teargas canisters.
But this is not the case here in Sierra Leone. Prince Harding, Chairman and Leader of the SLPP, was on the country’s broadcasting house vilifying the Police as if there is nothing this Police has done that is worth commending.
Policing, in a country like ours, is very much difficult as they do not have all what it takes to police the country. We should be able to provoke national dialogue around what we view as very serious operational and command issues affecting the Police. Hence we are sure they are not mere political gimmicks. The Police are a byproduct of Sierra Leonean society and we should be able to understand this when making these accusations against them.
So much has been put into our Police by the International Community and much has improved over the years compared to the Siaka Stevens era, except for few issues which have to do with some few bad eggs. But even at that, the Police have opened up the space for redress with the setting up of the Police Complaint Board. We cannot get there overnight, but we are moving as a country.