By Foday Moriba Conteh
Amadu Jorgor Bah, who was lucky enough to escape an initiation rite by the Poro Society in Sahn Malen, has suddenly disappeared and nowhere to be found according to his elder brother Alhassan Bah.
Amadu, according to his brother, was last seen some days after his escape from the forceful capture and initiation by the Poro Society in Sahn Malen.
It could be recalled that on Wednesday 16 January 2019, workers of the Socfin Agricultural Company went on a strike for terrible conditions of service as they claimed although the company’s press release indicated that the workers went on a strike due to the intimidation from gangs of youths, many fueled with drugs and not even from this Chiefdom.
The gangs, according to the Socfin press release, were planning to invoke the secret society in various parts of Malen without the authorization of the Paramount Chief. Havoc and chaos ensued over the following days and during all these period several members of staff of the Socfin Company who had not adhered to the strike action were captured by the Poro Secret Society members and forced into initiation.
Amadu Jorgor Bah, who had unfortunately gone to visit his friend working for Socfin was amongst those captured by the Poro Society members and taken into the society bush for initiation.
He was with them for two days before fortunately escaping, bruised and tattered, as a result of the second day initiation. He was chased by the Poro Society members, but the Police who were patrolling the area came to his rescue.
However, the Poro Society is so sacred in Sahn Malen that nobody is allowed to go to the initiation headquarter and allowed to come back alive without completing the process. People have been known to die from the inhumane manner of initiation .
Sources from Sahn Malen had stated that the head of the Poro Society referred to as ‘Krugba’ had threatened to kill Amadu if he does not complete the process of initiation. The ‘Krugba’ was furious that Amadu knows all their secrets and had not drunk the oath water to keep it secret which is mostly done on the last day.
Amadu is now facing a death sentence by the Poro Society for failure to complete the process. The Police in Sahn Malen could not investigate or pursue the matter because some of them are also members of the Poro Society.
Amadu Bah has been missing for more than two weeks now and the Police are yet to say anything about his disappearance. Evidence points to the Poro Society, but the Police are not making any attempts to interrogate their members.
Alhassan Bah, Amadu’s elder brother told this medium that a day before Amadu disappeared, some members of the Poro Society had come into their compound in Freetown and ransacked the entire place in search of Amadu. He said Amadu had fortunately been informed about their arrival and fled.
He said since that day he has not seen or heard from his brother.
