Police in Mile 91 have confirmed that the giant portrait of President Ernest Bai Koroma was on Monday burned by angry youth loyal to his All People's Congress Party.
It followed disagreement over the party's choice for a candidate to run in the parliamentary bye-election slated for later this month.
According to the police Local Unit Commander, Superintendent Max Kanu three people were arrested and held for 48 hours; he said they would be charged for “malicious damage” in a Magistrate Court in Makeni in the coming days.
Kanu told Politico that the town was now quite following the disturbances earlier in the week by youth who wanted one John Gbla to be the APC party candidate. He has since gone independent after the party chose Aaron Koroma.
Pro-Gbla youth went on the rampage until police reinforcement had to be called in from Makeni. They have since returned.
A meeting slated for yesterday had to be postponed to today after what police described as “tension in the town”.
Journalists in the town say the youth refused to budge to apparent pressure to accept the party's choice for a candidate hence the postponement of the meeting to make for more time for persuasion.
This, despite some high-ranking party and government officials in attendance. They included Lands Minister, Musa Tarawallie and the outgoing MP and Minister of Labour, Dr Mathew Teambo.
The bye-election follows the appointment by President Koroma of the local MP, Dr Mathew Teambo as Minister of Labour.
© Politico 13/06/13
