Freetown, Sierra Leone — The All People’s Congress (APC) has expressed strong concerns regarding what it describes as undue government interference in the continued detention of its supporters.
In a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. William Fayia Sellu, the APC has alleged that its members, who were arrested on October 15 during a peaceful meeting at the party’s headquarters, remain in detention unlawfully.
According to the letter, signed by APC National Secretary General Dumbuya, the police have exceeded the 72-hour legal limit for holding individuals without charge, raising alarm within the party.
“While we appreciate the efforts of the police in maintaining security, it has become clear that the government is pressuring for the prolonged detention of these individuals beyond the legal 72-hour limit,” Dumbuya wrote.
The APC claims that both the police and the government are escalating the situation by preparing charges to bring the matter to court, an action that, according to the party, distorts the reality of the incident.
“This creates the false impression that the situation is more serious than it is, which undermines the spirit of the Unity Agreement and hampers efforts toward national reconciliation,” the letter further stated.
At the heart of the APC’s concerns is the alleged violation of Resolution 4 of the Unity Agreement, which calls for the release of political detainees. The party argues that the resolution’s intent was not limited to releasing those initially detained but to prevent future politically motivated arrests.
“The ongoing arrests and detentions undermine the letter and spirit of this resolution, which aims to prevent the government from continuing politically-motivated detentions under the guise of law enforcement,” Dumbuya emphasized.
The letter, copied to international moral guarantors, development partners, and the Peace Commission, warns that the government’s actions are counterproductive to national unity.
By copy of this letter, we are informing the international moral guarantors, development partners, Peace Commission, and the PPRC that the government’s actions are unhelpful and demonstrate a lack of seriousness in fulfilling the Unity Agreement,” Dumbuya noted.
The APC is now urging the police to resist political interference and release the detained members immediately, warning that further escalation could harm the ongoing peace and reconciliation efforts in the country.
