By Kemoh Sesay
Police at Ross Road Division have arrested 18 people in connection with the deaths on Saturday of two football fans. Crime Officer, Ade Caulker told Politico that the suspects had been charged to court for “malicious conducts”.
The two, Mohamed Lamin Sesay aka Ludacris and Ibrahim Sankoh aka Smokie died during a fracas following a football match between Black Hall Road Strikers and Kossoh Town at the Oxely Grounds, Fourah Bay field which ended in a 1-0 draw in favour of Kossoh Town. The quarter final match was an inter-community league organised by the Eastern Best Soccer Promoters.
According to the chairman of the organization, Aruna Newland, the incident took place just after the match when fans had already deserted the pitch.
"I received a surprise call from one of my members informing me about the incident,” Newland said, adding that they had decided to put the league on hold until the police finished their investigations. "We will continue with the league if it is warranted" he noted.
Residents in the Fourah Bay community said they would stay indoors. Many said they were afraid of going out on their normal business for fear of reprisals by a rival gang. A shop owner at Fourah Bay, Alimamy Kamara told Politico that they were observing the situation while their shops would remain closed for fear of being looted in an event of a reprisal attack.
Meanwhile, the remains of the deceased were buried on Monday at the Kissy Road Cemetery.
(C) Politico 17/09/13
