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Momodou
Denmark
11809 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Apr 2008 : 20:31:20
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Mobile Phone Dealer Alleges Police Harassment
By Amie Sanneh
One young man who claims to be a mobile phone dealer at the Serrekunda
Market, on Monday, walked into the Foroyaa Newspaper offices and accused police at the Serrekunda Police Station of arresting and harassing his fellow mobile dealers. He said the police on Wednesday descended on the market and arrested several mobile phone dealers. He added that two of his friends gave the police four hundred dalasi each before they were released.
According to him, some of the arrestees bribed the police before they were released. Going further, the young man alleged that over fifty mobile phones were confiscated from the arrestees by the police. He alleged that the police are yet to return the mobile phones to their owners.
He remarked, “If they don’t want us to be at the market, let them get us something to engage in”. He protested. “The President of the Republic said we should work and we are working to earn a living. I was once slapped for selling a mobile phone to someone. We sometimes sell mobile to some police officers.” he said.
Asked whether they are not selling mobiles that are stolen from people, the young man remarked and asked, “How can we sell stolen mobile in public? We buy mobiles from people and sell them. We don’t steal mobiles nor do we purchase stolen mobiles.”
The police spokesperson, Sulayman Secka, was contacted to comment on the allegations leveled at the police.
When PRO Secka informed this paper that he contacted the officer in charge of Kanifing Division Superintendent Kemeta Sambou and who confirmed the incident. He said that some people were raided in a joint force operation by the Serrekunda Police inorder to get rid of those selling on the streets, thereby causing road obstruction on the street. He said that 29 vendors were raided including mobile phone dealers, those selling trousers and shirts on the streets and many others who were charged for Obstruction under the Road and Highway Act. He added that they were taken to court on the 19 March, at the Kanifing Magistrates Court and were fined D250.00. He said those who paid were given receipts and were given back their properties and warned not to be found selling on the streets again. “Those who do not appear in court are supposed to appear this week and maybe after finishing with the court will be given back their properties”, he said.
PRO Secka remarked that, “definitely the duty of the police is to see to it that the road is used freely without hindrance or obstruction to other road users.” The police spokesperson advices street vendors to look for places where they can sell but not to sell on the street which, he said, is against the law.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No.38/2008, 2 – 3 April 2008
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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