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Youths involved in kush have started digging into cemented graves at the Wellington Palmer Street Village Cemetery, stealing coffins and iron rods from graves.
These disturbing acts are happening at night, leaving open burial spots behind and creating fear in the community.
The cemetery, located in the eastern part of Freetown, has seen a rise in theft and tampering of graves, especially those built in concrete structures above the ground.
Many of the youths are targeting these graves because of the metal materials used in them. In some cases, they also remove clothes and jewelry from the dead in search of anything valuable. Families are being advised to bury their loved ones directly in the ground instead of building cemented enclosures, which are now drawing unwanted attention.
Residents say the cemetery is no longer safe. Even the resting places of the dead are being disturbed. With little or no security presence, these incidents are happening too often. Some families who recently buried relatives have returned to find their graves broken and tampered with.
Residents say the Freetown City Council, which is responsible for public cemeteries like Wellington Palmer Street, needs to do more to keep the site safe, clean, and properly managed. They are also calling on the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, especially the Environmental Health Division, to step in and make sure burial grounds are not left unprotected or posing a health risk.
But with grave robbery now linked to kush users and criminal gangs, this issue has become more than just poor cemetery management. Residents believe the Sierra Leone Police should also be involved, especially as the activity at the cemetery now includes theft and suspected gang involvement.
Community leaders and councillors in the Wellington area are being urged by residents to raise concerns and work with city authorities to improve security and control at the cemetery.
Until action is taken, the cemetery remains unprotected and vulnerable to ongoing disturbances.
