By Alim Jalloh
Bashiru George Conteh and Wife, Mariama Conteh of Tombo Town, Western Rural District, are currently on the run for fear of being lynched by angry supporters of the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and also possible faces charges from the Sierra Leone Police, according to residents.
Investigation conducted by this medium revealed that Bashiru, a Local fishing boat owner and also shop owner, run by his wife, Mariama, at the centre of Tombo town, were accused of being perpetrators of the recent Tombo community riot that left 3 people dead and several houses burnt down.
The riot started after the authorities instructed that only 12 boats, out of over 400, are permitted to go out to sea and fish, because of the COVID19 restrictions. Boat owners and the youths which Bashiru, was part of the group that tried to negotiate with the authorities to allow at least 20 Fishing Boats to go to sea, but the authorities turned down their plea.
This, according to our sources, prompted the angry youths living in the village, whose livelihood depended on what they make out of their fishing catch, to go on the rampage, using abusive languages and throwing stones at government properties, as well as embarking on a running battle with the police, where bullets and tear gas canisters were fired by the police, resulting in the deaths of three youths. As this situation unfold, the desperate youths also destroyed the Family Support Unit of the police station at Tombo, the Community Health Center and the Chief’s house, a man believed to be a strong supporter of the ruling SLPP Party.
The riot quickly turned into a political battle, where the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) accused supporters of the main opposition All People’s Congress party (APC) of being behind the riot, this they say is a bid by those party loyalists to distract the government from its development agenda. Bashiru, being a strong supporter of the main opposition, APC party, was targeted and seriously beaten by supporters of the ruling party, and his shop in the center of the village, burnt and down his shop.
It was also disclosed that Bashiru was rescued from his assailants by some youths, who say that he is a peaceful businessman and boat owner. Our source explained that when Police reinforcement came, they were told that Bashiru was the instigator of the riot and are now looking for him. One resident, Ibrahim Saccoh, told this writer that the police threatened to arrest Bashiru and family, if seen.
According to our investigations, it was revealed that prior to the riot, Bashiru was arrested for listening to Adebayor, a popular political social commentator residing in Holland, who always releases audios on social media that goes against the ruling government; he sometimes calls on young people to resist the government on cretin issues, he was consider by the ruling SLPP as an agent of the opposition APC and accused of inciting the public against the current government according to the Sierra Leone Police.
It is now a common practice that local authorities in Tombo and other remote Villages expercially in the strong hold of the ruling party arrested people openly for listening to such audios, as they are branded as opposition sympathizers. According to our information, Tribal Authorities in the Tombo community and some other Local communities had earlier imposed a ban on the listening and sharing of these audios, but according to our source, Bashrieu and his wife, Mariama, were caught listening to the audio on a Bluetooth speaker, and was detained at the Tombo Community police post and later released on bail.
Sources say the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is looking for the couple to press charges against them, while supporters of the ruling party, on the other hand, have also threatened to kill Bashiru, if they see him. The case of this couple is just one, among many of those suffering from a series of political intimidation in the country. This action by state actors, has in the past years seen a series of criticism from the Human Rights Commission in the country, as well as Civil Society Organizations, most of whom have been accused by the public as being muzzled by the government of the day.
