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25 Sierra Leone police officers punished for “misconduct”

  • Ambrose Sovula, Police Chief

By Newman Anthony Levey in Bo

The Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police, Ambrose Suvula, has ordered the transfer of 25 police officers attached to the Bo East Police station for alleged “misconduct”.

The AIG Southern Region, William Fayia Sellu, confirmed the transfer of the officers to Politico in an interview, noting that the IG is the Chief Executive officer of the Sierra Leone Police force which grant him the authority to punish officers who conduct themselves wrongly in his presence.

“Even me as regional commander, he has overarching authority over me and every other police officer,” he said.

IGP Sellu would not specifically explain the exact crime the officers committed to warrant the IG’s decision, but he insisted that it was misconduct, noting that the decision had since taken effect and that the officers had already been transferred to their different locations within the southern region.

But sources told Politico that the officers were punished for failing to recognize IGP Suvula when he visited their station recently. According to sources, the IGP came unnoticed and that some of the officers were busy taking statements from complainants and suspects. The sources added that some of the officers did not know the new IGP and therefore failed to recognize his presence with the usual curtsy salute to superiors.

IGP Sellu explained that the unannounced visit to the station made by the IGP was timely and in place as that is the only way he would get to know if the officers were on top of the situation and that they were doing that which they should do.

 Some of the transferred Officers Politico spoke to expressed dissatisfaction over the decision transferring them at this time, noting that there was no memo and that they were unprepared for such transfer.

But AIG Sellu noted that as police officers, they have to be in readiness at all times for immediate transfers when necessary and do not need to be informed in time. He added that the Police boss was magnanimous to have ordered ‘just’ a transfer, noting that the offences would have attracted tougher punishment.

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