The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) have confirmed the prolonged detainment of former peacekeeping officers, who have been held for nearly a year following their return from the United Nations Mission in Somalia.

Speaking on Radio Democracy 98.1 FM on Thursday, Assistant Commissioner and SLP spokesperson Brima Kamara disclosed that the officers, detained for 11 months, are currently being held in solitary confinement at the car park of the SLP Headquarters and at Leicester Peak. However, the reasons for their detainment remain unclear, and no formal charges have been announced.

According to Kamara, the detained officers had raised concerns about their allowances, which they suspect were misappropriated by senior police officials. It was after these inquiries that the detainment of the former peacekeepers began. The spokesperson, while confirming their confinement, did not provide further clarification on the matter, leaving the public to speculate on the true reasons for the officers’ continued detention.

The situation has fueled public curiosity and concern, as the SLP faces mounting pressure to explain the legal basis for the detention. Despite media queries, no concrete information regarding the officers’ detainment has been provided. A police media officer told another media house that the SLP’s doors are open to the press to clarify any misinformation, urging the media to avoid spreading “false information” about security personnel during a sensitive period of maintaining peace and stability in the country.

As the story unfolds, calls for transparency grow, with citizens demanding clearer communication from the police on the circumstances surrounding the officers’ treatment.