As calm slowly creeps into the Mount Aureol community like a chameleon, victims revealed their ordeals at the hands of their assailants and the police. On 3rd and 4th February 2021, ‘clique boys’ from Black Lane ascended to the Mount Aureol community and terrorised residents, pelting buildings and vehicles with stones, breaking windows and doors, and physically and verbally assaulting people.
Victim Isha Sesay said she was at home around 4:00pm on Tuesday 4th February 2021 when the violent youths ascended the mount. “They beat me with sticks on my chest and injured me with the cutlasses in their hands. They were with youths from Kissy Quarry and Blackhall Road. They stole three mobile phones from my house all to the value of Le9.5 million. They also took Le3 million physical cash and destroyed Le2.8 million worth of drinks which I sell at home as I am a businesswoman,” Sesay recounted.
She said after the police arrived, they arrested and detained her, despite her pain and injuries, for six days at the Ross Road Police Station. “The police were bias. They did not arrest the Black Lane boys even when they were with cutlasses, but they came to us who were not armed and took us away” she said in tears.
Fatima Iscandri, the wife of another victim, said she was at home with her husband when the police rudely barged in and arrested her husband, who was not part of the violence. “I was in bed with my husband who is a security guard, when the police came. They dragged him from bed and arrested him. They said he was part of the violence; but my husband was not. They loaded him in their truck with the others they had arrested and took them to the station. They were beating them like common criminals,” she claimed.
Fatima said she was very scared, not only because the bad boys had threatened to return and burn their house, but by the way the police behaved. “I felt so bad and discouraged about this community,” she averred.
For his part, Chief Pa Alimamy Samba Sesay expressed similar sentiments about the police. He said did not show him any respect as a chief of the community. “Three of my sons were arrested who were not part of the problem. I have a yard-road here so if people pass through my compound, it does not mean they live here. This has caused me to ban my people from passing here. The rude boys came, they stoned my house, vandalised my vehicles and threatened to burn my house and kill me. This prompted me to report to the police,” Chief Sesay noted. He claimed that his tenants complained of respectively losing Le27 million and Le6 million during the police arrest.
Meanwhile, Louis Johnson, whose Le50 million Toyota 4Runner was vandalised and vehicle parts looted, said his house was ransacked by the riotous mob and properties stolen. He said calm is gradually returning to the community after the Office of National Security (ONS) called them for a conflict resolution meeting, whose completion Chief Sesay said they are awaiting, to know the way forward.
A teacher at Hillside Junior Secondary School, Lansana Mansaray, affirmed that pupils are now returning to school after the two days of youth violence.
Notwithstanding that, the police have promised to restore calm to the area.
DT/10/02/2021
By david.thoronka@awokonewspaper.sl