Legal Aid Director threatens action against police

‘We will start the campaign in police stations across the country because we know that bad eggs in the police allow themselves to be used to detain suspects especially the youths unnecessarily,’ Carlton-Hanciles said.  ‘I have had reason to call police officers to demand an explanation regarding the detention of suspects and I have been shocked at how panicky the officers have been; rather explain the reason for their action, they beg for forgiveness.’

The warning follows the detention of Alie Mohamed Conteh of the Protec Security at the central police station for six days for allegedly stealing a motorcycle from Rajus Electronic at Big Waterloo Street.

Alie was arrested on Sunday, August 27 by one police officer called Mansaray attached to the Central Police Station after he was called to the scene of the crime. He was taken to the Central Police station and detained after a staff of the Rajus Electronics made a report against him.  He was kept in the cell for six days even though the staff of Rajus declined to make a statement at the police. It took the intervention of the Paralegal with the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board, Ibrahim Kallon to secure Alie’s release. Kallon had demanded that the police charge or release the suspect.

The investigations by Ibrahim Kallon revealed that the staff of Rajus did not go back to the police station to make a statement because it was discovered that the motorcycle was not stolen as alleged. 

Also, Rajus Electronics should have reported the matter to the Protec Security rather than the Central Police.  The head of Protec, Kumarr was furious because Rujus Electronics’ action is inconsistent with the terms of the contract between two business entities. The representative of the security company rejected the allegation made against Alie. He told the Board’s paralegal Ibrahim Kallon that Alie has worked for the security company for over three years and has a very clean record.