More reports continue to pour into the Cocorioko offices about the ongoing chaos in Bo. A man called Mr. Sallieu Ndomawah , who said that he is neither a supporter of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party ( SLPP ) nor the ruling All People’s Congress (APC) , has said that the stone that injured the SLPP Flagbearer , Mr. Maada Bio, did not emanate from inside the APC OFFICE because the office was empty following orders from APC officials that the office be vacated by supporters of the APC while the SLPP were welcoming Mr.Bio to Bo.
MAADA BIO : WAS NOT STONED BY APC SUPPORTER, ACCORDING TO EYEWITNESSES
Mr.Ndomawah , who said he was a Muslim and was talking before God, was put on the telephone by APC officials . He told COCORIOKO that when the stoning of the APC office commenced, some APC people came from the vicinity to help protect their office from being brought down and this led to a confrontation between the rival factions . He said that during the commotion , SLPP supporters far outnumbered the APC and it was at that time that a young man he also named as Kalilu took a catapult and aimed a stone at Mr.Bio’s head.
Mr. Ndomawah said that the first attempt to burn the APC office was repulsed by youths in the vicinity but then came another throng of supporters armed to the teeth and they succeeded in entering the compound and pouring petrol all over the building before setting it ablaze.
“No, there were no APC supporters inside the office. If they were there,I wondered if the invaders would have succeeded in burning down the office.”
He said that SLPP youths are singing that either Maada Bio becomes President or there will be no peace in Sierra Leone.
WE WILL BRING YOU THE DETAILS AS THEY UNFOLD
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KEY FINDINGS
During the Course of the Investigation the following Key Issues were identified
a. Legality of the Procession
It has been established that on the 29th August 2011 the SLPP District Secretary Bo Mr. Mohammed E.K Alie wrote a letter to the Paramount Chief Kakua Chiefdom Bo PC Prince Lappia Boima the fourth and the LUC Bo Police Division Mr. Theophilus Senesie requesting for clearance and Police coverage for a procession, Pouring of libation at the Party office and a public meeting at the coronation field in Bo; in respect of the visit of the flag bearer elect of the SLPP Rtd. Brig Julius Maada Bio on Friday 9th September 2011.
In response to that request, the Local Unit Commander for Bo District Mr. Theophilus Senesie who was in a workshop in Freetown instructed his chief clerk to issue security clearance and to provide security for the visit of Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, whose letter was dated 9th September 2011. It has also been observed that on the 9th September 2011 the SLPP presented the route for the procession to the Police. This Panel has established that the Procession was legal and authorized.
b. Wounding of the SLPP Flagbearer Brigadier Rtd. Julius Maada Bio
It has been established that during the course of the investigation the SLPP Procession arrived at the vicinity of the PMDC and APC offices along Mahei Boima Road Bo at about 1500hours on the 9th September 2011. It has also been established that when the Procession arrived at the PMDC office, the flag bearer was standing through the sun roof of the vehicle where he waved to the people who were standing in the compound of the PMDC office. It has also been confirmed that the procession was peaceful up to the point when they arrived at the vicinity of the APC office. It was at that point that the first sets of stones were pelted at the procession from the direction of the APC office. It has been confirmed that the following people Mohamed Conteh Alias Bomb Blast, Alias Bobby APC and Lamin Alias Shakur were among the people throwing stones.
The investigation has confirmed that the SLPP flag bearer Brigadier Rtd. Julius Maada Bio was hit on the head by a stone released by a catapult by Mohamed Conteh Alias Bomb Blast. This stone that hit the SLPP flag bearer’s head resulted in wounding and oozing of blood from his head. Additionally, this wounding has been confirmed from three source Eyewitnesses, Video clip of the procession, medical reports from Dr. M.B Yilla of Kindoya Hospital No.1 Prince Williams Street Bo, Dr. Patrick Bankah (Ghana) and Dr. Rashida Kamara .
It has also been confirmed that after the SLPP flag bearer was hit and wounded on his head stones started coming from the SLPP Procession towards the APC office. Damage on the rear screen of the vehicle the flag bearer was also confirmed.
Evidence adduced so far has confirmed that on Friday 9th September 2011 about thirteen (13) people were found behaving in a riotous manner and throwing stones within the vicinity of the APC office in Bo along Mahei Boima Road Bo.
The thirteen (13) suspects are as follows:
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Amadu Mansaray
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Osman Mansaray
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Alhaji Abdulai Sesay
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Ibrahim Conteh (alias Shakur)
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Junior Sillah
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Bockarie Baimba
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Osman Jalloh
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Mohamed Conteh (alias Bomb Blast)
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Mohamed Koroma (alias APC Ratti)
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Mohamed Massaquoi
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Alhaji (alias Evil Nya‐Nya)
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Abdullai Bangura
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Shaka Kamara
Riotous conduct
5. CONCLUSION
Based on the findings through statement taking, interviews and onsite visits to the crime scene the Panel concludes;
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That the APC Youths started the stoning
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The burning down of buildings was carried out by supporters of the SLPP.
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The shootings were done by the OSD personnel in Bo and it resulted in one dead and twenty three people injured including two police personnel.
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The APC Regional Chairlady South was also stabbed by an irate youth.
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The Panel also confirmed that the senior police officers of Bo Police Division were out of station and there was no operational order for the visit of Brig. Rtd Maada Bio.
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The Panel also established that the Bo Fire Force did not respond to the fire call.
