By Emma Black
The Metropolitan Police of the Freetown City Council have brought Sulaiman Bangura, Amidu Jalloh, and Hawa Mohamed Bangura before Principal Magistrate Sahr Kekura at Freetown Magistrate Court No. 1, alleging disorderly behavior during a routine demolition exercise targeting illegally occupied council buildings. The trio made their initial court appearance and were remanded in custody.
When the case was called, Sulaiman Bangura and Amidu Jalloh were present, but Hawa Mohamed Bangura was absent.
As a result, the charges were not read or explained. Prosecutor ASP Ibrahim Mansaray requested a bench warrant for Hawa Mohamed Bangura’s arrest due to her non-appearance, which Magistrate Kekura promptly granted.
The prosecution called Inspector Kabba Conteh as a witness, questioned by magistrate Kekura about whether the metropolitan Police had a court order for the demolition, Inspector Conteh admitted he was unaware of any such order, stating only that the council had instructed them to proceed. He added that a request for Sierra Leone Police assistance had been submitted, but the team acted without awaiting a response.
Magistrate Kekura emphasized that, legally, demolitions require the presence of Sierra Leone Police officers, not just the council’s Metropolitan Police, whose powers are limited. He clarified that while the council may own the property and issue directives, protocol mandates police accompaniment for such operations.
The law is the law, and everyone must follow it, he stated, suggesting that adherence to procedure could have prevented the accused’s alleged resistance, he further noted that demolition teams should include armed personnel for protection.
Inspector Conteh acknowledged that the Metropolitan Police proceeded to the scene without Sierra Leone Police support and demolished structures deemed council property. After admonishing the witness for this oversight, Magistrate Kekura remanded Sulaiman Bangura and Amidu Jalloh in custody. The case is scheduled to resume on April 3, 2025, marking the beginning of the trial.