The Police in the Northern town of Magburaka have on Thursday 17th November 2022 arrested and detained the former regent chief of Kafe Chiefdom, Ibrahim Sankoh for allegedly engaging in illegal mining in the Chiefdom, according to a police source.

The Police source spoke on condition of anonymity because he/she is not officially obliged to speak on behalf of the Sierra Leone Police.

The former Regent Chief, Ibrahim Sankoh, our police source said was reported to have been engaging in reckless and illegal mining in the chiefdom with impunity and without respect for the authority or chiefdom bye-laws on mining.

Kafe Chiefdom is in Tonkolili District, Northern Sierra Leone, and is among the poorest Chiefdoms in the chiefdom, though it’s endowed with gold, diamond, chromite, and a lot of other minerals. Among the reasons for the Chiefdom’s high rate of poverty is perhaps the uncontrollable, reckless, or illegal mining going on in almost all parts of the Chiefdom.

Immediately after he’s elected Paramount Chief of Kafe Chiefdom months ago, PC Dr. Masakma Madibie II who doubles as the Tonkolili District of Council of Paramount Chiefs Chairman in consultation with the Chiefdom Administration, sub-chiefs and other stakeholders enacted by-laws to stop the practice (illegal mining) for the betterment of the Chiefdom.

Our source said the former Regent Chief defiantly going on with his illegal mining in the Chiefdom. The former Regent Chief, the police source said did not only engage in the act but also reportedly undermined the leadership of the current Paramount Chief.

“The Police have received several complaints from the Paramount Chief and other Chiefdom authorities in the chiefdom about attempts by the former Regent Chief to undermine the peace and security of the Chiefdom,” our source said.

And he is on record for making provocative utterances against the current Paramount Chief and the leadership of the Chiefdom.

The Spokesman and Media officer of the Magburaka Police Division have also confirmed that Sankoh is in their custody. But the media officer said he will only comment on the story upon completion of the investigation.

Sankoh has spent a night in custody. It’s unclear whether he would be released today.