Sierra Leone Cracks Down on Subversion Plot, Arrests Made

According to the inspector general, who made the announcement on Tuesday, a manhunt is currently underway for a total of eight individuals, while fourteen Sierra Leonean military personnel, three current and former police officials, and two civilians have been arrested and are currently being investigated for “subversion.”

The police announced last week that they had made many arrests of those who were preparing to carry out violent actions on the anniversary of the fatal riots that occurred in August 2022 and resulted in more than 30 deaths. They declared that they were “working to undermine the peace and tranquility of the state” and that they intended to use the peaceful demonstrations that were due to take place this week “as a guise to unleash violent attacks against state institutions and peaceful citizens.”

Inspector General William Fayia Sellu stated in a news conference on Tuesday that of the 14 arrested members of the armed services, eight are ranked between lieutenant and major, and six are non-commissioned officers ranging between private and sergeant. Sellu made these statements in reference to the imprisoned members of the armed forces.

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He stated that a search is currently being conducted for five additional military troops as well as three police officers. “We are in full control, and security has been beefed up,” Fayia Sellu stated. “In every region of the country, the police have increased their surveillance and intelligence gathering.” The inspector general also mentioned that Sierra Leone has made a request to Interpol for assistance in extraditing any of the individuals who were located in other countries.

Ledgerhood Rennie, Liberia’s Minister of Information, told AFP on Monday that Mohammed Yaetey Turay, a former Chief Superintendent of Police who had been fired in 2020, had been detained in Liberia at the request of authorities in Sierra Leone. Chernor Bah, the minister of information in Sierra Leone, stated in an interview with AFP that the arrest of Turay had something to do with “plans the state security had unearthed by some individuals to undermine the peace of the state and unleash violence on our citizens.”

The minister has stated that he is among those who are assisting with the inquiries. On August 10 of last year, economic and political demonstrations in Freetown, the capital, and other cities escalated into violent conflicts, which claimed the lives of several people. According to the official estimates, twenty-seven members of the general public and six members of the police force were killed.