By Mohamed T Massaquoi
A friendly football match between Mos FC and Centre Base 1 at the Holy Family football field in Pujehun ended up in a fight between police and soldiers resulting in blood spill. An eyewitness, Joseph Moore told Politico that a soldier commonly known as P-Boy insulted Munda Koroma a teacher at the Holy Family Primary School in Pujehun, which did not go down well with spectators. He said that the intervention of a civilian known as Ibrahim Rogers on the side of the teacher led to his beating by three military officers attached to the 14th Battalion in Pujehun leaving him injured. He named them as Lt. Ramons, P-Boy and another one who could not be identified. During the fracas, a police officer identified only as P.C. Williams intervened to rescue Rogers and took him to the police station. Subsequently the three military personnel appeared at the police station and attacked the police officers who were present including P.C. Williams who had resc u ed Rogers. Speaking to Politico, Ibrahim Rogers said that he was suffering from severe body pain, and alleged that he lost Le 50,000 in the fight. He described the action of the military officers as "taking advantage over because I am a civilian".
Reacting, the crime officer of the Pujehun Police Division, David Hollist condemned the act of the soldiers. He said that the assault on his colleagues would be officially reported to the Battalion Commander even if a compromise was made with the civilian. Hollist said he was disappointed at the action of the soldiers referring to it as "a security threat" to those the security forces were supposed to protect. The Adjutant of the 14 Battalion condemned the behaviour of his officers calling it "unprofessional" and called for a peaceful settlement of the matter. The adjutant who was identified only as Dumbuya and was in mufti, asked the three military officers to leave the police station because, he said, they were “displaying arrogance”. (C) Politico 05/09/13
