Sierra Leone News

 The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) has today issued preliminary report of the destruction of property and loss of lives by violent protests on August 10 2022 in Freetown and other parts of the country. Summary of the report states that: 4 Police Officers were killed nationwide; 4 Police Officers were injured nationwide; 113 suspects were arrested for both North-West and North-East regions as of now; scores of public and private property destroyed. “Following violent protests and demonstrations in parts of the Western Area (Rural and Urban), North-East and North West Regions on Wednesday August 10, 2022, the Media and Public Relations Department of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is taking the pains to release a preliminary report of available records, in respect of fatalities and injuries sustained by personnel and also government and police property destroyed during the violent protests and demonstrations,” SLP stated. Check out details of the preliminary investigation below:

 After the rising bloody demonstration on August 10th, 2022 that leads to the loss of many lives and properties including security personnel in some parts of the country, statements have been made by different organizations, groups, and individuals to condemn the act. The All People’s Congress as the main opposition party has also made a statement which they start by sympathizing with families who lost their loved ones through the demonstration. They went further to state that as a political party they condemn all forms of violence and are reminding stakeholders that citizens have the constitutional right to engage in a peaceful protest. They also state that the security sector has the mandate to protect the lives and properties of citizens. They said as a party, they will continue to reaffirm and reinforce commitment to sustainable peace and national cohesion. They call on all stakeholders to de-escalate tension and fully respect the rule of law and rights of citizens. They ends b...

  After a bloody demonstration in some part of the country which has led to lost of lives on Wednesday 10th August 2022, the United Nations Resident Coordinator Babatunde Ahonsi has called for calm and dialogue over the spate of violent incidents that occurred in Freetown earlier in the day. In a tweet issued on his Twitter account and later retweeted by the official UN in Sierra Leone Twitter accou.nt, Mr. Ahonsi said, “The United Nations in Sierra Leone expresses serious concerns over the violent incidents that occurred today in Freetown, including reports of causalities”. The highest-ranking UN official in the country also indicated the United Nations’ willingness to facilitate such dialogue.

  Protest usually leads to the loss of lives and properties as those engaged in the act are always seen with different weapons and Sierra Leone’s August 10th, 2022 protest is not an excuse. In the early hours of Wednesday 10th August 2022, youths were seen in different streets in some parts of the country protesting over the high cost of living conditions in the country. After this unfortunate incident, popular mad man Blacker has called on Sierra Leoneans to stop the habit of taking directives from people in the diaspora. He said Sierra Leone is not into war for such unfortunate things to be transpiring. He called on citizens to allow the government runs the affairs of the state in a peaceful manner. He ends by calling on all to go about their normal businesses tomorrow.

Prominent Lawyer Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marah has questioned the Legality of the nation wide curfew declared today Wednesday 9th August 2022. The Legal luminary posted on his Twitter page that “Unless the National Constitution is suspended, a national CURFEW cannot be declared in the absence of a declaration of state of Emergency in the Whole or part of Sierra Leone. I understand the need for tough response but security measures mustn’t breach the Supreme Law.” The curfew was declared by his Excellencey the Hon. Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. The said curfew shall be in force from 3pm on the 10th August, 2022, to 7am of 11th August 2022.  

  Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio and the first lady, Fatima Maada Bio have arrived Sierra Leone through the Lungi airport on Wednesday night, sources have told Sierraleonenews. The duo had departed Sierra Leone for a private visit to London, United Kingdom on Thursday, July 28, 2022 just 24 hours after the controversial sacking of the former Inspector general of police, Ambrose Sovula. Their arrival comes in the wake of violent protests that rocked Freetown and other parts of Sierra Leone on Wednesday. In the last three days that the President Bio had been out of the country there have been anti government protests in Freetown and the South, leading to the death of unspecified number of people, and the killing of at least two policemen on Wednesday. Vice President Juldeh Jalloh handled the situation while President Bio was out of the country. After obviously consulting the president, he has called on the military to assist the police to restore order in the capital, thro...

 ZoodLabs, a comprehensive technology and smart utility infrastructure company contracted by the government of Sierra Leone for internet connectivity  has confirmed a major outage in internet services in Sierra Leone on Wednesday, August 10, 2022. Sierraloaded had earlier reported that the Government of Sierra Leone shut down internet services in the country on Wednesday amidst protests in the east end of Freetown and in several towns across the north of Sierra Leone with police and protesters in running battles. Similarly, NetBlocks, a watchdog organization that monitors cybersecurity and the governance of the Internet confirmed a nationwide disruption to internet service on multiple providers across Sierra Leone from the morning of Wednesday. According to NetBlocks metrics, Real-time network data show the near-total internet blackout coming into effect on mobile and fixed-line internet providers in a pattern consistent with an intentional disruption to service, corroborating...