By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema
Police in Sierra Leone's eastern district headquarter town of Kenema have arrested a substantial quantity of petrol and diesel fuel from illegal black marketers following a swoop that lasted for the most part of yesterday.
The exercise started on Monday 1 October 2012 when vehicles and motorbikes queued at fuel stations amid the latest shortage of fuel and the hike in pump price.
According to the police operation’s officer Kenema division, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mustapha Kamara, the raid was instituted on the instruction of the Local Unit Commander, chief superintendent of police David Saheid Koroma due to “rampant hoarding” of fuel, thus creating an artificial shortage.
He said there was nothing like fuel shortage in the township. “Some wicked people have created that situation so that they can sell at a huge cost thus amassing more profits.”
ASP Kamara said that apart from the artificial scarcity, “the hoarding of petrol and diesel in shops, stores and houses is illegal and dangerous,” adding that several houses had been gutted by fire in the past due to the practice.
“As police officers we have the mandate to protect life and property. We will not fold our hands while such illegal practices go on. We have arrested quite a substantial quantity of petrol and diesel. Necessary actions shall be taken against those who will come to claim ownership without presenting required document for such a business.”
He said that despite efforts being made by the government to improve on the wellbeing of the masses, some people were bent on frustrating and discrediting the good work of government.
Meanwhile, the queue at Total Petrol station still continues. Joseph Koba Mattia, a commercial bike rider who has said he spent over three hours in the queue, told Politico that “nobody was creating artificial shortage. All of the stations have been closed because there was no fuel.”
He confirmed that black marketers were selling a liter at Le8,000 - almost twice the pump price – a price he said was too high.
He accused the police of contributing to the scarcity by arresting the black marketers whom he said most times aided the practise.
“The police are arresting to fill their pockets not because there is scarcity of fuel,” he claimed.
However, the community relations officer of the Kenema Police Station, Sergeant 10322 Prince Bernard Jaygboi Kamara dismissed the allegations, noting that the raid by his officers was instituted to salvage the situation.
“We will never betray the cause of democratic principles and the raid is part of our operations to protect life and property,” he ended.
(c) Politico 04/10/12
