Sierra Leone Telegraph: 2 June 2017

With general and presidential elections set to take place in March 2018, president Koroma and his ruling APC are now ratcheting up the political climate and tension in the country.

Yesterday, Thursday, 1st of June, the opposition leader of the Alliance Democratic Party (ADP) – Mohammed Kamarainba Mansaray, was arrested by police to face charges on alleged possession of what the police described as a ‘dangerous weapon’.

According to his ADP party office, Mohammed Kamarainba Mansaray, was arrested in the capital Freetown and taken into custody at the Sierra Leone police headquarters, awaiting charges for allegations of being in possession of a “flash light-stun gun”.

But pleading his innocence, Kamarainba said yesterday: “I didn’t carry a weapon. The utility flashlight stun was in my home in Segbwema where I was staying. SLPP MP was there with me. I took it out from my room and showed it to the police. They police promised to give it back on my way to Kenema after the election.”

The Assistant Inspector General of Police East – AIG Alfred Karrow Kamara had confirmed that they were holding the leader and chairman of the ADP – Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray in custody in Freetown.

According to AIG Alfred Karrow Kamara, Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray was arrested by the Local Unit Commander of the Daru Division – Superintendent Kashew Kargo in Freetown, for questioning at the Daru police station.

ADP supporters say that his arrest is politically motivated and is aimed at intimidating opposition politicians ahead of preparations for the general and presidential elections early next year.

Last weekend, the ADP party won 13% of votes in a bye-election in the south-eastern Kailahun district of Sierra Leone, which the SLPP won by a comfortable majority of over 50%, with the ruling APC polling over 30%.

Kamaraimba is one of the most vocal and fierce opposition leaders in the country, strongly speaking against the excesses and poor governance of the Koroma government. He has a very large support base among young people of Sierra Leone, and his ADP party is expected to perform very well at the general elections next year.

You can listen to his audio recorded message broadcast yesterday during his arrest:

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