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The Republic Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has been accused of demolishing the construction site of the “Krio Ose,” a cultural and community centre for the Krio people, in the early hours of Friday, July 11, 2025, without any legal notice.
The construction site, located on Sir Samuel Lewis Road, had already reportedly made significant progress, with concrete pillars erected.
Melbourne Garber, a structural engineer and member of the Krio Descendants Union (KDU), expressed his outrage over the incident, stating that the demolition was carried out without any legal notice or court order.
“I am very enraged and distressed,” Garber posted on Facebook, further stressing that “The Sierra Leone military at Murray Town took it upon themselves, and without any legal authority, to trespass on the KDU site… and tore down the concrete pillars. They claim the land is theirs, even though this was leased to KDU by the Freetown City Council.”
Garber described the demolition as an act of lawlessness, noting that the construction had cost the KDU over Le 600 million (Old Leones). He criticized the military’s actions, saying, “They blithely demolished [the site] during ungodly hours like thieves in the night.”
A representative of the KDU confirmed that all legal documentation regarding the land lease is in the Union’s possession, issued by the Freetown City Council. He called the incident disappointing and troubling, stating that efforts by the Building Committee and other members to resolve the situation had been unsuccessful. “There is a sense that this matter may be more political than otherwise,” he added, urging members to remain united as the Union seeks a resolution.
The incident has sparked broader discussions about land governance, the military’s involvement in civil matters, and the treatment of ethnic minority cultural projects in Sierra Leone. Many in the Krio community have demanded accountability for the demolition.
Please permit me to seek clarification on few matters.
1. Does the Freetown City Council deserve the right to lease land to anyone without the involvement of the Lands Ministry?
Don’t you think this matter can be resolved without politicising it?
I am please waiting for answers.
Mr. Amara, do you truly believe that our community is as uninformed as you depict us to be? Do we possess the audacity to travel to Bo and Kenema to dismantle any of your community centers? Are you not aware that Freetown holds a special status? Your political actions have diminished our community’s standing since the 1960s. It would be preferable for you to return to your villages rather than disturb our Freetown, which has historically been a sanctuary for generations of freed slaves, for which it was intended.
You still have not answered my question. Stop moving the goal posts. Please answer my questions and we will move on from there. And please do not forget that Freetown is a cosmopolitan city. It does not belong to the Creoles or the descendants of freed/liberated slaves anymore. You do not have the right to put up building structures wherever you want with reckless abandon. Due process should be followed. Finally, I need to remind you that the days of Creole hegemony or dominance are over. You are no longer in control as it was twenty or more years ago. Besides, please accept the hard fact that you are a minority group in Sierra Leone. You will soon phase out and people will only read about the Creoles in history books. We the indigenous people of the land have taken control. These are hard facts but you must learn to swallow the bitter pills.