An internal dispute during the All People’s Congress (APC) Constituency 100 lower-level election in Pujehun Town has reportedly ended in a deadly road accident, leaving one Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) officer dead and several others seriously injured.

The accident occurred on Tuesday night, September 15, when an RSLAF vehicle attached to the 14th Infantry Battalion, bearing registration number CO14 BAN 72SL57, overturned near the Pujehun Centre Mosque, opposite the FOCUS1000 office.

The deceased officer has been identified as RSLAF 18178551 Abdul Kamanda, who reportedly succumbed to injuries and severe pain while receiving treatment at Pujehun Government Hospital at about midnight.

Several other people who were travelling in the vehicle, including security personnel and civilians, reportedly sustained injuries. Among those injured was Sierraloaded Pujehun District Correspondent Alhaji Mashalat Sheriff, who was also inside the vehicle and is receiving medical treatment at the time of reporting.

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The incident followed a prolonged disagreement at the APC District Office in Pujehun, where the party was conducting its Constituency 100 lower-level election.

The election brought supporters of two opposing camps, reportedly associated with Dr. Woo and Sylvester, into a dispute over the official delegate list.

According to accounts from the scene, both camps initially claimed to have 44 delegates. However, tension arose when the Dr. Woo camp reportedly discovered that the names of seven delegates they considered eligible to vote were missing from the delegate list circulated by the APC National Secretariat.

The Dr. Woo camp reportedly insisted that the seven individuals were qualified delegates and should be allowed to vote, while the opposing camp argued that anyone whose name was not on the official delegate list should not participate in the election.

The disagreement reportedly escalated into a confrontation, forcing the election officials to suspend the voting process.

The APC had scheduled the outstanding constituency elections for September 15 after previously postponing them amid unresolved electoral petitions.

As the disagreement intensified, stones were reportedly thrown around the APC office while supporters of the two camps shouted opposing demands over whether the seven disputed delegates should be allowed to vote.

Security personnel, election officials, journalists and other stakeholders remained at the venue until late in the evening as efforts were reportedly made to calm the situation.

With the situation becoming increasingly tense, the election officials reportedly decided to halt the process and transport the ballot box and election personnel away from the area.

An open military vehicle was subsequently brought to evacuate military and police personnel, election officials, journalists and other civilians, together with the ballot box.

At the time, police officers were reportedly using tear gas to disperse the crowd.

According to eyewitness accounts, tear gas spread around the area, including towards the people being evacuated. The driver of the military vehicle was reportedly affected by the tear gas while attempting to move away from the scene.

The vehicle reportedly travelled from the APC office towards the military barracks through the May Junction area near Radio Wanjei.

However, eyewitnesses said that as the vehicle approached the area opposite the Pujehun Centre Mosque and the FOCUS1000 office, it reportedly took a sharp turn and overturned.

People inside the vehicle were reportedly thrown around as the vehicle somersaulted, resulting in multiple injuries.

Emergency responders and other individuals subsequently transported the injured to Pujehun Government Hospital for treatment.

The precise circumstances surrounding the crash have not yet been established through an official investigation. Earlier reporting confirmed that the vehicle overturned near the Pujehun Centre Mosque after security personnel had been deployed to the APC election, but noted that authorities had not yet issued a detailed account of what caused the accident.

The incident has renewed concerns among residents and stakeholders about the level of tension surrounding the APC’s ongoing lower-level elections in Pujehun.

The latest confrontation follows previous reports of disagreements and disruptions during the party’s internal electoral activities in the district.

Residents and stakeholders are now questioning how future stages of the party’s internal elections will be managed if disagreements continue to result in confrontations involving supporters, security personnel, journalists and election officials.

The situation has also prompted calls for the APC leadership, particularly the camps of the two leading contenders for the Pujehun District APC chairmanship, to engage their supporters and encourage restraint during future electoral activities.

Stakeholders have warned that continued violence could result in further injuries, loss of life and damage to property, while also creating challenges for the peaceful conduct of future political activities.

The APC National Secretariat has previously stated that its objective is to complete its outstanding lower-level elections in an orderly, transparent, peaceful and credible manner.

The Constituency 100 election remains unresolved following the dispute, while investigations into the fatal accident and the circumstances surrounding the confrontation are expected to provide further clarity.