Reports from Police Headquarters reveal that the Sierra Leone Police has mounted an intensive search for one Abu Bakarr Mansaray, on allegation of being one of the key protesters in the violent protest of 10th August 2022, during which 6 police officers were killed and some 25 civilians shot dead by security forces.
According to our source, Abu Bakarr is believed to have joined protesters in exercising his democratic right to protest against the current economic situation in the country, and the said situation turned ugly when the police surfaced and began firing tear gas canisters and live bullets, killing some civilians. It was disclosed that the angry crowd then decided to take the law into their hands and erected road blocks to prevent accessibility of the police, which then resulted in serious fracas between civilians and the security forces.
During the course of the day and the following days, several arrests were made and allegations of extra-judicial killings by members of the security forces of known opposition operatives, an allegation that was denied by the police. Police sources say that several people have been arrested and they had issued pictures of some wanted people in respect of the said violent riot, but also that some others are at large, whose names they have declined to mention.
However, our investigation revealed that Abu Bakarr Mansaray was being sought after in respect of the said protest by the police, as family sources told this medium that some armed police and military officers had raided their residence on several occasions in search of Abu Bakarr. Family members said that since the day of the riot, they have not been able to set eyes of Abu Bakarr Mansaray, and are only hopeful that he is alive, as there are many reports of extra-judicial killings by security forces of known opposition party operatives and ordinary protesters, as in the case of one Evangelist Samson, who was gunned down by the military in Makeni (shot in the back), northern Sierra Leone.
According to close friends of Moses, who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons, Abu Bakarr narrowly escaped direct firing from people believed to be top security officials in plain clothes, and in jeeps without registration numbers. He is said to have then escaped into a nearby ally under hot pursuit by the police. They recalled that, that was the last time they set their eyes on him, and do not know about his whereabouts, or whether he is still alive.
As we go to press, family members of Abu Bakarr Mansaray say that they have still not seen Moses, and do not know whether he is alive or not, and also that they have been subjected to regular harassment and threats from the security forces, as well as by ruling party youths in their area. In the spite of the protest, Abu Bakarr had to lost his business due to massive firing of live guns and looking of government supporters on that fateful day. As reports are reaching us, Abu Bakarr is nowhere to be seen and found as search is in continuity.