By Aminata Abu Bakarr Kamara

In a decisive effort to curb crime, particularly armed robbery, security personnel stationed at the Freetown International Airport made a significant arrest on Sunday, November 17, 2024. A vigilant military officer, Lieutenant Nelson Sellu Swarry, apprehended a man impersonating a military officer at the airport premises.

The suspect, identified as David Abdul Kamara, a resident of #232 Bai Bureh Road, Congo Water, Wellington, Freetown, was detained while dressed in full military uniform bearing the rank of lieutenant. However, his attempt to pass as a legitimate officer was quickly foiled by the experienced Lieutenant Swarray.

In recounting the incident, Lieutenant Swarray shared the method he used to unmask the imposter. According to him, Kamara’s initial greeting was not executed in a manner consistent with military protocol, arousing suspicion. To further test Kamara, Swarray posed several questions typically known only to actual military personnel, including which squad (referred to as “safari” in military terms) he belonged to, and his official military force number, which Kamara claimed was 1818. Additionally, when questioned about his enlistment date, Kamara stated he joined the military in 2015—a claim quickly disproven as there were no recruitments that year due to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone.

Upon confirming his suspicions, Lieutenant Swarray promptly detained Kamara and informed his superior, Lieutenant Colonel Jones, Commanding Officer of the 15 Infantry Battalion. During further interrogation in the presence of Lieutenant Colonel Jones, the suspect confessed that his military uniform was provided by Corporal Sulaiman Sama of the Armed Forces Training Wing at Benguma Barracks.

The matter was then escalated to the police. The Commanding Officer contacted Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Sahr Nyuma, the Local Unit Commander of the Lungi Police Division, who ordered the immediate intervention of the division’s crime unit. The crime officer, along with his team, swiftly arrived at the scene and took Kamara into custody, transporting him to the Lungi Police Station for further investigation.

Authorities are continuing to probe the incident to uncover any potential connections to criminal networks, as part of ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and security of both the airport and the country at large.