Over fifty (50) Ex- Soliders out of 311 belonging to the Cronical and Mentally Imbalance Association on Monday stormed the Headquarters of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) to register express their grievances.
They had earlier written a letter to the Inspector General of Police (IG) Acha Kamara for a Police clearance to stage a peaceful demonstration in Freetown. ‘Because we have not received any information from IG that is why we came to express our grievances’ remarked Lamin Samura.
While they were roaming around George Street in a riotous mood, they destroyed two vehicles with registration numbers 003 SL 03 and 23 SL 59 belonging to the military.
The situation was brought under control by the intervention of the Military Police from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) who made some arrests.
Explaining further to the Police in tears, Lamin Samura who had served in the army for 18 years said that from November 2008 they received a message from the Army Forces Personnel Center (AFPC) to sit to a medical test due to their injuries.
He noted that a Major from Britain graded them and recommended that they are not fit to be in the army. Samura said they received their gratuity in April and were told to go and come back in three months time for their other benefits.
Samura stated that they returned back to MOD after three months and held talks with Brigadier Yillah Koroma who told them that there is nothing more to give them.
He demanded that they need their one year salary, training grant, housing grant, transport and pension for disability from the government as was promised to them.
Samura begged the government to come to their rescue as they had served the army diligently and only encountered some mental and disability problem during the war.
Private 18179640 Alusine Bangura said he has been in the army for 10 years and was attached to Kailahun District.
Bangura remarked that school is about to re-open and they need money to take care of their children and home.
Abu Kallon who has served for 10 years said that he was damaged on his feet and could not put on shoes anymore. He appealed to government to respond to their demands.
Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of Operations Morie Lengor acknowledged receipt of the letter written to them and cautioned them to go home and come on Wednesday for updates.
He told them that he has held talks with officials at MOD but will not give details of it.
However this did not solve the problem as some of them attempted to strip themselves naked, ready to cause mayhem. Police tried to cool down the situation but could not and only watched as the aggrieved soldiers destroyed a vehicle 003 SL 03 belonging to the Military. The Police had to call for reinforcement at the MOD and Cockeril. Upon arrival of the Military Police some of them ran away only two soldiers private 18178429 Edward Farmer and Private 181880836 Brima Thomas were arrested.
Passers by expressed pity for them as some showed their damaged parts of their bodies and their mentally imbalance certificates from the psychiatrist Dr Nahim.
By Abibatu Kamara
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