Local Unit Commander, Alimamy Bangura, and OSD Boss in Koinadugu District- Inspector Foday Fofanah have been suspended till further notice, for having allegedly giving the command to junior officers to shoot at peaceful protesters.

The suspensions were ordered by the Inspector General of Police, Francis Munu, at a meeting held in the Kabala Community Centre.

“My presence here is to get firsthand information of what actually transpired that resulted in the unfortunate incident. I am here with senior officers from the Criminal Investigations Department to conduct thorough investigation and to bring to book any one that is found wanting,” IG Munu asserted.

IG Munu appealed for calm to the people of Kabala, especially the youths. He assured them that the Sierra Leone Police will leave no stone unturned in its quest to get to the root of the matter.

On the foregoing issue, the Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Cornelius Deveaux, disclosed on Thursday 18th August 2016, that the Kabala incidence which resulted in deaths, injuries, and the burning of houses was due to deliberate misinformation. He made this statement to journalist at the Youyi Building, Ministry of Information and Communications conference room.

“There are certain people in Sierra Leone who are renowned for distorting information in order to undermine the hard- won peace in the country. The relocation of the National Youth Village project to Mile 91 in the Tonkolili District is due to the fact that Mile 91 is the centre of Sierra Leone with adequate fertile land for rice cultivation, unlike Kabala that is not suitable for rice and fishing. All the more the reason Government thought it fit to transfer the administrative component of the youth village to Mile 91,” the Deputy Minister enlightened.

He further mentioned that the livestock component, including cattle- rearing, would be stationed in Kabala, Koinadugu District, noting that Government cannot rule out political manipulation in the aforesaid incidence.

It could be recalled that on Monday 15th August 2016, the police allegedly opened fire on peaceful demonstrators in the said District, which ended in a blood bath. In the aftermath of the pandemonium, two were reportedly shot dead, and several injuries were inflicted on the demonstrators by the police.