According to Police sources, one Abdulai Turay, a Presidential guard to former President Ernest Koroma, has been declared wanted in connection with the attempted coup of 26th November 2023.
Police sources say that his name was firstly mentioned on a cyber check conducted by CID which warrant of arrest was given to him, his wifey and family where sermon at CID (Central Investigating Department) they were detained but source confirm he had already flew out of the country on a Duty call on the 10th November 2023. By virtue he decided not to return to his arrested family. However tension mounted and he was also called upon as by one of those arrested in the said failed coup during rigorous interrogation by investing officers at the Central Investigation Department (CID) in Freetown, and his phone number discovered among numbers in the suspect’s phone. The police refused to be drawn on the specifics of Abdulai Turay’s involvement in the said coup attempt.
However, other sources say that Abdulai Turay was among the Presidential detail of the former President, and after the election, in which the former President’s party, APC, lost to the ruling SLPP party, he continued to hold the position as Presidential detail of the current President, Julius Maada Bio. It was further disclosed that Abdulai Turay was under constant suspicion of being sympathetic to the main opposition party, APC, the party of his former boss, and on several occasions had been sidelined by his colleagues around the current President. Fortunately for him, he is said to have traveled to the USA with 23 of others Unmanned personnel to attend the Tactical Application Conference (UTAC) but failed to return with the entourage, ultimately fueling suspicion of his allegiance to the opposition party while his wives and children where detained.
Thus, shortly after the President’s return, the unfortunate event of the attempted coup took place, in which known Presidential security details of the former President were involved. During the said attempted coup several of the former President’s security details were shot on sight, allegedly for involvement in the said coup. The said attempted coup was therefore blamed on the main opposition party APC, by the government and its party, leading to massive hunt for known party operatives of the former President’s party. Almond all associates of the former President, who were military of police officers were targeted, leading many to flee the country. Several were arrested and are in police custody pending trial for treason.
According to family sources, Abdulai Turay’s house was raided and his wife, Mariatu Turay, was arrested, after they could not find him. She was detained for a period of one month, and released when it was clear that Abdulai Turay was not going to show up. Family sources say that while in police custody, she was harassed and tortured in a bid to get any information from her about the whereabouts of her husband, as they were of the opinion that he had returned to Sierra Leone and was among those who staged the failed coup, like some of the others who were said to have traveled from abroad to participate in the said coup attempt.
Family says that their house at 12 Ecowas Street in Freetown is beinh raided constantly by security forces and ruling party youths, with death threats issued against Mariatu Turay and family. Death threats have also been issued against Abdulai Turay by loyalists of the ruling party if he returns to Sierra Leone.
As we go to press, police sources say that they are still monitoring the situation at have issued a warrant of arrest for Abdulai Turay whenever he lands in Sierra Leone, with his picture at the border posts.
