By Bampia James Bundu in Freetown & Septimus Senessie in Kono
Scores of supporters and sympathizers of the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) last evening jeered and rained abuses at senior officials of the party at their Freetown headquarters. They alleged financial impropriety. The party officials included the National Chairman and Leader John Oponjo Benjamin, National Women’s Leader Isatu Kabbah, and the National Financial Secretary Joe Kallon. Joe Kallon alleged that he was attacked by some party supporters and was forcefully removed out of his car with his car key taken from him upon arrival. He said he would report the matter to police. The others could not be reached for their comment. The row is said to have broken out following the end of a party executive meeting during which the officials were pelted with missiles and were about to be chased out of their headquarters when police intervened and fired gun shots to put the situation under control. It follows a series of corruption allegations against Mr Benjamin surrounding the alleged embezzlement of US$ 60,000 money donated by Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan. It also comes in the heels of a power tussle Mr Benjamin and his allies on the one hand, and the party’s defeated presidential candidate Julius Maada Bio and his allies and supporters. Such is the internal wrangling that the SLPP National Publicity Secretary, Musa Tamba Sam held a meeting in the party’s office in Kono accusing John Benjamin and two others of embezzling about US$ 60,000. Sam also alleged that the chairman who is the class “A” signatory and Gertrude Karimu and Joseph Kallon who are the class “B” signatories “also embezzled about le 423 million being fees paid by aspirants of the flag-bearer ship in 2012.” Speaking to Politico he said the party’s National Secretary General, Sulaiman Banja Tejan-Sie was out of the alleged impropriety because he had earlier sounded the alarm. He presented a Bank statement and a letter said to have been written by Tejan-Sie ordering the closure of the account until further notice from the executive council of the party. John Benjamin told Politico that had a pending press conference scheduled for Tuesday in which he assured of settling all of the allegations. He described Tamba Sam and those working with him as “hustlers and detractors who want to put the party into disrepute and mortgage it to APC for few dollars”. He also alleged that Tamba Sam wanted to defect to the APC but could only do that after putting the SLPP into disarray. He called party members and stalwarts to remain steadfast and united.
