Sierra Leone News: Four Injured after Unrest in Khonimaka Chiefdom

By Ibrahim S Bangura

Two men have suffered serious injuries following a violent conflict between supporters of Paramount Chief Kandeh Kabba Sedu aka Alie Kossai and the community members in Kabaia Town, Khonimaka Chiefdom, Kambia district on Sunday October 13, 2019.

Two of the victims allegedly suffered gunshot wounds, and were admitted at the Kambia Government hospital.

Councilor Alpha Sanie told Premier News that the violent incident started after the Paramount Chief cancelled a planned meeting which was s to be held on October 13, 2019.

Giving a background of the conflict in Khonimaka chiefdom, Councilor Sanie explained that he petitioned PC Kandeh in August 2019, over allegation of human right violation, mismanagement and embezzlement of the chiefdom’s resources and revenues. But PC Kandeh denied all the allegations. He said the matter was in the court, but the Local Government Ministry intervened and called for further investigation.

He said that PC Kandeh told the local Government Ministry that he has 95 percent support of his people in the chiefdom and only 5 percent is against him.

Councillor Sanie said based on that, the Local Government Ministry instructed chief to summon a Chiefdom Committee Meeting to build peace and stability in the chiefdom.

He explained that PC Kandeh wrote a letter to all the five sections in the chiefdom informing them about the meeting which was scheduled for October 13, 2019.

He said that before the scheduled meeting, the police in Kambia told PC Kandeh to cancel the meeting due to intelligence of possible conflict at the meeting. “But PC Kandeh failed to inform people about the cancellation of the meeting. In the evening hours of the proposed meeting, I received a called from someone who informed me that fighting had ensued in Kabaia between supporters of PC Kandeh and residents of the chiefdom,” he said.

He said that four residents of the chiefdom were seriously injured including two with gunshot injuries.

He disclosed that the paramount chief has accused him of bringing three trucks of thugs from Guinea to cause mayhem in the chiefdom, but he denied the allegation.

Paramount Chief Kabba Seidu accused Councillor Alpha Sanie of importing thugs from Guinea to disturb the peace of the chiefdom. He disclosed that Councilor Sanie is aspiring to become a Paramount Chief in Khonimaka Chiefdom that is why he was causing unrest in the community.

He disclosed that on Sunday October 13, 2019, he was attacked by men brought from Guinea by Councilor Sanie, adding that the councilor did that as a way of defaming him.

PC Kandeh said that based on the allegations made against him over mismanagement and embezzlement of the chiefdom’s resources and revenues sometimes in August 2019, he met with the Local Government Ministry and explained all that had happened in the chiefdom.

“So, together with the Local Government Ministry, I called a chiefdom committee meeting as a way of consolidating peace in the chiefdom,” PC Kandeh explained. “I did not cancel the meeting as alleged by the councilor. In fact, during that meeting on Sunday October 13, 2019, I suddenly saw group of people with weapons in their hands; they attacked me and my men,” he said.

The police in Kambia said they are investigating that mater, and they have summoned all parties to the conflict.