Sierra Leone’s Chief Minister, Jacob Jusu Saffa and the Commissioner of the National Commissioner for Social Action (NaCSA), Dr. Sao-Kpato Hannah Max-Kyne, have both been named in an attempted ritual murder of three virgins at a secondary school in Freetown.

The said act, according to investigation, was said to have been masterminded by one Christian, a consultant at the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), who in connivance with Mr Sidikie B. Koroma, a teacher at the Siena Patso Junior and Senior Secondary School, Spur Loop, Freetown, allegedly attempted to murder three virgin girls at an unfinished house near the school.

According to the Principal of the school, Mr Lawrence Kamara, one of his teachers by the name of Mr Sidikie B. Koroma, approached him, telling him that one Senior Official working at NaCSA, had requested him to ask the Principal to help him with 6 virgins. Upon that information, Lawrence Kamara said that in a feat of anger he told his teacher that he has no virgin for the official and that all those kids in his school are there for schooling and not for any ritual.

Principal Kamara furthered that at about 10:30 am on the same day, Mr Koroma again called on him at his office with the same request, and upon this persistence, he decided to call a staff meeting in his office, in which he asked Mr Koroma to repeat what he had told him earlier to the entire staff, which he did. He furthered that teachers expressed disappointment and reprimanded the teacher.

At about 11:45am on the same day, Mr Lawrence Kamara said that the teacher and Christian, the NaCSA official then came to his office and again repeated the request, this time, the NaCSA official explained that he had sent Teacher Koroma with the request, and that it was to do some sacrifice (SARA), and that he should help him with 6 virgins.

The NaCSA Official, according to the principal, stated that the issue had been discussed with the Chief Minister, Jacob Jusu Saffa and that his job was on the line should he fail to accomplish the task.

This got the Principal infuriated and asked both individuals out of his office and alerted his staff to ensure that no child is allowed to go out of the school.

Mr Lawrence Kamara then explained that on the next morning, parents of three kids came to his office and told him that their daughters were taken to an unfinished house nearby by two teachers, Mr Koroma included, where a talisman (alpha man) was waiting. The kids explained that the said talisman broke a coconut and gave them to eat and peak milk to drink. One of the kids explained that she did not drink the milk neither did she take the coconut.

According to one of the mother, her daughter, since returning from that ceremony, began to bleed, and has been bleeding since then. Principal Kamara then called on Inspector Manga of the New England Police Station, who readily arrived at the scene with a team of police officers and effected arrest of the two teachers, the NaCSA official and the talisman. They were then taken to the New England police station, where the kids were given medical form for medical examination.

However, investigation furthered, the suspects, despite the gravity of the alleged crime, were quickly released following alleged orders from above probably from the Chief Minister and the NaCSA Commissioner, who are said to have pressurized the police at New England Ville for the release of the suspects.

Even before a team of journalists could arrive at the New England Police Post, the suspects had already been released through Madam Sao-Kpato Hannah Max-Kyne, the Commissioner of the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA).

It is yet to be established whether the NaCSA Consultant and the other suspects were acting on the orders of the NaCSA Commissioner and the Chief Minister, but unconfirmed reports indicate that the two government heavyweights and others could be the brains behind such heinous act.
In another strange twist of events, the Sierra Leone Police, who only had to re-arrest the suspects past Monday, following publications by Salone Compass Newspaper and the Times SL Newspaper, are said to be downplaying the matter by proffering the wrong charges which could easily see the suspects walk free.

It is further understood that both the police and the conspirators are said to be putting immense pressure on the parent of the victims, a vulnerable woman, to sweep the matter under the carpet.

According to the vulnerable woman, she had been approached by some high profile officials in the Bio led government to drop the matter in return for some money.

Salone Compass will however be following this matter to its logical conclusion in order to ensure that justice is served on the poor woman and the victims who are said to be battling with their health.

Contacting the Chief Minister for comments, he had this to say ‘’U nor soba n ti’’ ‘’Heeeeem my country people are planning everyday to scandal my credential… I am not Gealty of any crime ok, so go on with your investigation, you stupid people’’

On her part, Salone Compass spoke to the Commissioner of NaCSA through a phone call from the head of Communications at NaCSA. During our phone conversation, the commissioner only asked for the name of the NaCSA staff in question which we provided in a follow-up call to the head of Communications and further stated that even if the person is a staff, the crime was not committed on behalf of the commission.

She further calls for a meeting in order for us to get more facts but aborted the meeting before it could materialized.

What led to the U-turn remains unclear but sources closer to the commissioner state that she is now relying on the police to manipulate the matter and allow the suspects to walk free.

As at press time, the police at CID where the suspects were later taken after their re-arrest and those at the New England Ville have blatantly refused to comment on the matter.

This medium will however be fully updating the public on every move as investigation continues.