By Foday Moriba Conteh
During the burial ceremony of late Abdulai Jalloh, on Friday 28th 2020 at the Kissy Road Cemetery in Freetown, members of the Fullah Community in Sierra Leone has called on the Government of Sierra Leone to give them justice. This plea came in the wake of the death of Abdulai Jalloh, a young man who was allegedly murdered at the Guinean Embassy, along Jomo Kenyatta Road, Brookfields in Freetown.
Addressing Press men and members of the Fullah Community at the cemetery, Mohamed Sarjoh Jalloh (SAJ), Acting Western Area Fullah Community Tribal Head, said the death of late Abdulai is a big loss to the Fullah Communities in Guinea and Sierra Leone, adding that he was one of the youngest vibrant men who was always working in the interest of the Fullah Community in the country.
SAJ stated as the Acting Fullah Tribal Head, “it is our responsibility to embrace, protect and look after the welfare of every Fullah in the country, be it Fullah from Guinea or Sierra Leone and the Fullah Community is known to be made up of very peaceful individuals, so for our brother to be killed just like that we are very much concerned and are crying for justice to be done”.
Chairman Western Area Fullah Community Tribal Heads, Alhaji Sarjoh Portal Bah, disclosed that the death of Abdulai came as a shock and surprise to the Fullah Communities, because the Fullahs are known to be a peaceful and law abiding people. He stated that when they received the news of Abdulai’s death on Saturday 22nd February 2020, on Monday they went to the Embassy and engaged them to know the cause of the death and going further to proffer solutions to end the violence, but there was no positive response given by the Ambassador and Embassy staff.
He continued that they were made to understand that these young guys went to the Embassy to collect their voters ID Cards for the Sunday 1st March 2020 Guinean Parliamentary election and referendum which will see President Alpha Konde running for a third term, but they were denied the opportunity to have their IDs, adding that It was also allegedly learnt that the embassy was selectively distributing ID cards to some set of people which prompted an argument to ensue between the young men and Embassy staff, on allegation that they were being denied their ID cards and their right to vote, which was deemed as a form of human right violation by the Embassy authorities.
“We are very much concern that those who were thought to be the perpetrators are walking freely, while some of the victims are in police custody. So we are calling on the Sierra Leone authorities to speedily investigate the matter, as justice delayed is justice denied,’’ Portal further underscored.
Mohamed Silvin Bah, Chairman and Leader of the National Fullah Youth Liberation Movement, said their movement is totally against any form of violence and needs justice in this matter, so as to avoid future similar occurrences. He assured the Fullah Community that the Movement will work with the Sierra Leone Police and the relevant authorities to speedily investigate so that justice will prevail.
