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Allegedly, ASP Philip Amera and ASP Bona, two senior police officers at the Human Resources Department in the Police Headquarters, are involved in a scam that resulted in 132 police trainees being expelled from the Police Training School over the weekend.
Sources at the Police Headquarters reported that case files will soon be opened at the Complaints, Discipline, and Internal Investigations Department (CDIID) after complaints have been filed by the alleged victims.
According to reports, the Inspector General of Police, William Fayia Sellu, discovered the corruption scam after demanding the list of qualified Sierra Leoneans for police recruitment in order to conduct a thorough vetting.
It was found that a total of 1,073 Sierra Leoneans were recruited without undergoing public exams and interviews, and 60% of these applicants were accepted into the Police Academy at Hastings without undergoing medical tests and fingerprinting as required by the Police Recruitment Policy.
Surprisingly, 132 of the recruits were removed from the Police Training School on May 6, 2023, despite having started their training and undergoing Gun and Tactics Training.
Meanwhile, those who had entered through the proper legal process of sitting for examinations were left out of the process, according to sources at the Police Headquarters.
An unnamed source claimed that each applicant paid Le5,000,000 to have their names appear on the final list. The 132 recruits removed from the Police Training School are now demanding a refund from the two senior police officers.
In response, the Head of Police Media Unit, Brima Kamara, stated that the removed recruits did not deserve to be at the training and were asked to leave.
He denied knowledge of the alleged transactions involving payments of Le5,000,000 each to the two personnel of the Human Resource Department. Kamara suggested that the recruits should report the incident to the police criminally and/or to the CDIID for their alleged conduct.
This the main problem with Sierra Leone, people who are qualified to do a job will never be employed for a except those who are not qualified at the end of the day they will end up doing the wrong thing but any way this is Sierra Leone
The police institution most corrupt in the country. Bribery to get admitted into the force isn’t a hidden practice by the police authorities, it’s so common and practical but they would never accept that they are taking bribes from the poor citizens who are just looking to enter the force to serve and make a living for their families. The country has been deeply intoxicated into corruption in such a way that everybody sees it as a normal thing. Those 132 candidates suffered for nothing, they won’t get their money back, the police heads will sweep it under the carpet, they’ll continue to denied that they don’t accept bribes from them, but from a logical perspective HOW CAN THOSE 132 CANDIDATES ENTER THE TRAINING WITHOUT THE DUE PROCESS IF NOBODY RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? Absolutely impossible if bribery wasn’t involved
Those in positions have no empathy for the poor
This is not something actually strange for my country corruption is a legal act
Jobs in Sierra Leone are got through connection not qualification.
It’s no surprise though,if yr connection is not connected you will have to bear the consiquences that’s the country we are living in.
As for me as a citizen,any police that is get guilty most pay the bill of doubt. Even me I have taken the police exam but I see that without money to pay I will not able to enter to the force so today I have seen that, those people remove the names of the ones that taking part for money
As for me I went through the process, after taking exams an interview for me to go for medical at Kington police hall , one police officer with a ledger on his hands was asking me who brought me with a reply I told him is God and my documents. They give my name to other person of choice, they took people that don’t know how to even spell their names and express themselves.
A very good step taken. The HR department should be investigated and all culprits brought to justice. Imagine 5million x 132. What a heck of quick money making from people who are not vetted and can use the uniform and weapon to do criminal acts. It’s time for positivity. That’s why the police force is full with non loyalty personnel and before doing the right things to protect and serve, they will demand money from from both the complainants and defendants. The one who pays the highest bid wins the case.
Not only the police force but all public sectors. That’s why the unruliness is too much.
THIS MUST STOP 🛑
Those two inappropriate officers who receive those money should be SACKED immediately and faced the law
The heading is misleading and regionalistic.Going through the content clearly tells you that the writer is dishonest as the content does not match heading.As a journalist,you should get your facts in order before putting them out to the public.The writer alleged that the recruits were thrown out because of their North/ Western connection but only to tell us again that the recruitment was marred in with corruption as most recruit had to bribe their way into the police training school.
These are the bad eggs in the basket. They should not be allowed to go free if the allegations are found to be true. The SLP as a force should not be taken or seen as a waiting area. It is an institution that requires qualified and respectful citizens who have the Force and country at heart, not individuals who are recruited through dubious means. There are candidates who are really qualified , but don’t have the connections to recruit them. Thanks to IGP Sellu and his lieutenans for this tough stance. Keep up the good work. Those who deserves the merit should be recruited so that the Force would have better and competent officers to handle the affairs of the SLP in order to magnify the motto “Force for good”. Thanks
Nathaniel, do you amicably comprehend the story, was there a tribe or a region mentioned in the above story? This political and tribal hatred for hard-working people should not have its way in national services.
But your comment on the said story is not doubtful, as it depicts who you are and your political bigotry class.
It’s a shame to marred public service with politics.