By Mohamed T Massaquoi
Police in Pujehun have confirmed the recovery yesterday of a missing AK 47 machine gun
that went missing on Friday 16 May with 30 rounds of ammunition.
It was found at the Holy Family Primary School, a stone's throw from the police station. Its disappearance had led to the detention of the OSD police officer to which it had been assigned.
Speaking to Politico the police Local Unit Commander, Chief Superintendent Nathaniel Brewa said the gun had disappeared at their police barracks and that the recovery was made by a teacher at the school, Peter Koroma and his pupils in one of the classrooms.
He said it was wrapped inside a rice bag as they were on parade discussing the missing gun. Brewa said this gun was assigned to Police Constable OSD officer 12499 Abibu Hans James to guard at the Kobaibu checkpoint some 16 miles from Pujehun town.
He said the OSD officer had told them that he left the gun inside his room at the police barracks and went to guard at the assigned checkpoint, but would not say how come he left his gun inside his room to go on guard duties at a checkpoint.
Brewa said they would release the OSD officer for the time being but that disciplinary actions would be taken as the matter was already before their criminal investigations department and the internal police disciplinary mechanism, CDIID, in Bo.
"I have the strong belief that this act must have been done by security personnel among them because it is difficult for a civilian to do such in a police barracks although sometimes it happens" Brewa said, adding that it would have been "a serious security matter" had the gun not been found.
Another OSD officer, SGT 7664 known only as Bunju, had told his superiors that thieves broke into the said police constable James' room and took away the gun and Le700,000 cash, saying it was an "unprofessional way of handling weapon as a trained police officer."
(C) Politico 20/05/14
