By Joenal
Information reaching this medium state that the Timber Association Sierra Leone (TA-SL) Head Office situated on Bai Bureh Road in Freetown was attacked on the 8th June 2021 by unknown persons of the sum of Le250, 000,000 and computers.
The aforementioned theft came in the wake of an official letter written by TASL registering its concern over moves being made to form another Timber Association also cataloguing series of threats they have been receiving, some targeting the lives of the Executive members of the Association and their office.
The letter which was dated 6th June, 2021 was addressed to the Minister of Environment and other line Ministries including the Office of National Security (ONS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Lamin Dainkeh Kargbo, the TASL Financial Secretary and Administrator disclosed how they held a meeting in the office in the morning hours before they left to engage Government officials in order for them to see reason to reduce the five (5) months ban period on the activities of timber to three (3) months when they received a call from their Office Assistant informing them of the attack which was carried out by the very people who have been making threats against them.
“The cupboards were broken, about Two Hundred and Fifty Million got missing which I left in the office before going for the meeting. 5 Canon computers, a printer and photocopier were also carted away with,” Kargbo accounted.
He maintained that other offices, including the office of the National Chairman, were also attacked.
TASL National Chairman, Mohamed Forna, while waiting for the Inspector General of Police for a meeting at the Police Headquarters in Freetown informed this medium about the peaceful elections, they held on February 24th 2021 which was called for by the Government and conducted by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) adding that the inauguration, which took place at the National Stadium, was witnessed by people from all walks of life.
“We have set up our Executive and everything is going on smoothly from that time,” he affirmed.
He continued that for 4 weeks now they have been receiving threats from those that lost the election also disclosing that on the 5th of June 2021 around 10 pm Police Officers went with two vehicles alleging that they have warrant of arrest for him but failed to show the warrant which he asked them to produce.
The Chairman said as a low abiding citizen, he reported himself to the Police the following day but that nobody told him the crime he committed.
He continued that in their WhatsApp forum those that lost the election allegedly formed a team and said they will take over their office and indeed they saw some of those people during the attack from the video evidence they have.
“I have been given a 4 year mandate which they have to accept and allow my administration to serve our people. We have all the evidence of the action the opposition took and we are going to tender them to the Police,” he noted.
