Ady Macauley, a former anti-corruption commissioner who is also a member of the All People's Congress (APC), has accused the Sierra Leonean police of detaining senior APC members (APC). Ady Macauley claims that there have been several arrests, with at least five APC members being detained most recently.
Ady goes on to say that when Tamba Koroma, a councillor for Western Rural who had been nominated and who is a member of the APC, received a distress call, the situation got much worse. According to Koroma, he was told to go to the Waterloo police station. Another APC member named Arthur Pearce called him before he had time to process the conversation entirely and gave him a similar account. Police reportedly forced their way into Pearce's car and insisted that he accompany them to the Criminal Investigation Department, according to Pearce's report (CID).
Ady continues by saying that the police must choose between upholding their status as a law enforcement organization that practices professionalism and risking being perceived as a tool of the dominant party. The choice they make will have a big impact on the political atmosphere of the nation and the public's confidence in law enforcement. These incidents brought up important concerns regarding the impartiality and competence of the Sierra Leone Police. The opposition APC claims that the police are a prejudiced security force for the Sierra Leone People's Party, which is now in power (SLPP). The party contends that the police's actions show that APC members were targeted on purpose, undermining the foundational values of a democratic society.
Many people are concerned about the arrests of opposition party members and wonder why these things are happening. APC supporters contend that such conduct threatens the nation's democratic institutions and damages the confidence of the police force.
In order to guarantee the independence of the police force and hold those accountable for any misbehaviour, the APC and its supporters are requesting a comprehensive investigation into these instances. They stress the significance of treating all political parties and their members fairly and impartially, regardless of their affiliations.