LAJ, SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE SIERRA LEONE POLICE
At least we now know where we are going with this situation regarding musician LAJ. He is due to appear at a Magistrate’s Court in Freetown today for the second time. After a brief appearance on Monday he was remanded in the custody of the Correctional Services of Sierra Leone to face preliminary investigation for serious crimes including ROBBERY WITH VIOLENCE. Prosecution lawyers opposed bail arguing LAJ could flee the country.
Meanwhile the debate continues about the tactics used by the SLP to detain him after allegedly fleeing the scene of the incident initially for which he is not in court. The police say they shaved off his dreadlocks in concert with the STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE in the police base called BENGHAZI. We know that SOP will be seriously interrogated in court in the course of making the charges against the man stick or fall off. We will be there on your behalf.
Actually, the initial outrage about the actions of a man who appears to be going from one brush with the police to another was quickly overtaken by cries of POLICE BRUTALITY once the police confirmed they had shaved his long hair. So in our business we always try to hear from everybody involved in a situation like this before we make conclusive comments.
For example, we want to see this specific SOP. We want to know when it was put in place and why those who put it in place were so obsessed with shaving the hair of people being questioned in a criminal investigation.
On other issues regarding this case we can say the following;
1. There are many people on social media who are using the LAJ question now to score some political points. Even in normal times they are always there looking for something to talk about. We don’t want to start cataloguing their recent string of lies about this and that. We just want to put this on record.
2. We have to call the Human Rights Community to take a look at one of our recent editions and see why we sometimes have a big problem with them. What did they say about that police officer who was recently attacked and beaten on the streets of Freetown because he tried to do his job? We asked them to speak up but they were mute. Now they are all over the place shouting POLICE BRUTALITY.
3. The case is now in court so we expect the true story of what happened at that petrol station to come out. We now want to hear that side of things.
4. When all of this is done, we will turn our attention to the BENGHAZI BASE. We will not go as far as calling it a Concentration Camp for now. Again, we will do something about that base when we conclude our investigation.
FUEL WAHALA ON THE STREETS OF FREETOWN AGAIN
Things are not looking good again on the streets of Freetown as fuel queues emerge once more. Whenever we see this we are almost sure that the price of fuel would rise. Today it costs EIGHTEEN GRAND a liter but already the black market is at work, selling the stuff at TWENTY GRAND. The Oil Marketers wake up every morning looking at the global price index and with every upward movement they move quickly to pass the burden to us. We understand all the dynamics around this business these days so we are not surprised but we have to say this to the OIL Marketers and the PRA:
1. They can’t continue opening and closing their stations every TEN DAYS to press for more money on the pump price. They are creating uncertainties in all planning activities. We need to be clear that this is not something more than business.
2. We want the PRA to bring this endless running around to a close by taking strong measures against Oil Marketers who take pleasure in inflicting pain on the ordinary people of this country to protect their huge profits. The current situation is totally unacceptable.
WHEN WILL THE SALONE PREMIER LEAGUE RESUME?
The fixture is out now for the English Premier League. Fans around the world are now busy with discussions about the players that have been signed by their teams or potential signings but in this Land that we Love, we have no idea when the league would resume. In fact, we know the Premier League is going to be reconstituted but the SLFA is not saying a word. They like doing things at the last minute just to create chaos and give some people opportunities to cut corners and get some advantage.
According to all accounts the last PLB struggled to get money from the government or the private sector to run the league. The league itself was almost abandoned on at least two occasions. We don’t want any repeat of that in the coming season so we ask the SLFA to start NOW.
1. If you have to change the PLB members, do that now. Wasting time makes life difficult for those that would end up in that important body.
2. Put all bodies that should be in place to run the league to work now. Make sure all player registration matters are concluded before the league starts. It’s a real disgrace that any team in this modern age of football would be penalized for using ineligible players.
3. Finally, we want to warn that this year we will vehemently oppose any attempt by the SLFA to use money from the national coffers to partly pay for the running of private football clubs. Minister Nyelenkeh has confirmed that FOUR BILLION LEONES will be available for PLB funding. That money should only be used to service the PLB and pay match officials. We will not allow the SLFA to use our money to pay for football clubs owned by private individuals. Those who want to own and run clubs should use that cash. Public money is for our national teams.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT HILLSIDE BY-PASS ROAD
We’ve been assured by people who should know that the Hillside By-pass road should be complete by the end of this year. The pace of the last mile area is such that we have reason to believe it will be no surprise if that vital link to the east of this city is open for business before Christmas 2022. As ordinary citizens, we want the best for this country so we wish those doing the road all the best. However, we want to call the attention of the authorities to the fact that the lower end of the road, leading to Dwarzark Junction, is looking very poor. This very nice dual carriage way is beginning to look like a glorified Wilberforce Street of the western part of Freetown.
We are calling attention to all the rotten vehicles abandoned in the parking area on both sides of the road. That space is provided so that drivers can drop off passengers or park their vehicles to attend to a quick business and leave. For more than a month now we’ve been counting all the rotten vehicles parked from the area just after Winners Chapel to the Model School area. In fact people are now building ugly roadside structures to sell this and that. We have seen feeble attempts by the Sierra Leone Roads Authority to stop some of these constructions but we believe that a big state institution like that is being completely ignored by lawless people.
While all of this is happening the Mayor of the Sun is on social media telling the world of the MIRACLES she is performing in Freetown. We don’t know for sure but we believe her people are collecting market dues from the people selling in those illegal market stalls near Model School and Dwazark Junction. It’s very sad but things can only continue to go bad on that road.
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (22/06/22)
