As tension continues to mount on the eve towards the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) convention, the former flag- bearer of the party, Julius Maada Bio yesterday disclosed that government’s intervention in trying to mediate in their party conflict is hypocritical.
He made this disclosure during a press conference held in his office at Byrne Lane, off Aberdeen Ferry Road, ahead of the party executive convention scheduled for Friday and Saturday, 16th and 17th of August 2013
Before the commencement of the search at his office by a team of police officers, Superintendent Samuel Kargbo, leader of the team read the search warrant in the presence of Maada Bio, Jacob Jusu Saffa, journalists and other party loyalist, as according to it, the police were informed that there were arms and ammunition in the office and that Bio is training thugs to disrupt the peace of the convention at Bo.
After reading the search warrant, Maada Bio gave instructions to the police team to go ahead with the exercise to prove the allegations against him and his supporters, as the process lasted for about three hours going from room to room in the presence of all present, at the scene, including members of the press who also followed the search team to Bio’s residence at 29 Osoline Drive, Spur Loop, were a similar exercise was conducted and lasted for almost the same time.
At the end of the whole exercise, the search warrant addressed to Bio’s office was signed by the police team and Maada Bio, signed as the head of the office, while Kabineh Moinima Kallon signed on behalf of Bio in Bio’s house as Maada relaxed in his veranda having his lunch, while the search process went on in his house.
Superintendent Kargbo, head of the police search team disclosed at the end of the entire exercise at both places, disclosed that ‘we discovered nothing of police interest in relation to the information we received,’ explaining that they are still looking into the situation by way of investigation, and when asked whether the police will have to invite Bio for questioning at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), he stated that ‘I will reserve my opinion on that,’
The Superintendent Samuel Kargbo, at the end of both sessions, asked Bio about his impression on the process which he disclosed that it is not one of the most pleasant experience he had gone through in life, but maintained that he is fine but will not at the moment comment on the police professionalism in carrying out the search exercise.
In response about the entire search process, Bio disclosed that it is an unpleasant situation and happy that journalist were present throughout the process, adding that what happened is an attack on the country’s democracy, as it came about their party convention which he was accused of trying to disrupt.
According to him, he had no intention of disrupting the peace of the convention, as he has love for his party and country as a whole, maintaining that he won the last party convention to lead the party without weapons, so why should he disrupt this executive convention as the ‘event is meant to embarrass me’ stating that even his security does not carry arms, as a result ‘my security is in the hands of the government’.
By Alhaji M. Kamara
August 14, 2013
ADVERTISEMENT