Freetown, Thursday, October 9, 2025 — Residents in central Freetown woke up to a grim scene yesterday when the body of an unidentified young man was discovered near Connaught Hospital, along Lightfoot Boston Street close to Percival Street Junction.
The man, described by locals as physically disabled and a long-time beggar near the hospital fence, was found lifeless at around 11 a.m. Shop owners and street traders said he had been a familiar figure in the area for years but remained a mystery to all.
“He was always sitting quietly by the fence,” recalled one trader. “He never disturbed anyone, but none of us knew his name or where he came from. Now he’s gone, and still nobody knows who he was.”
The discovery comes just a day after Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr revealed that the city council had cleared 220 unclaimed bodies from public spaces as of October 7 — a growing challenge for the capital with serious public health implications.
Efforts to report the latest death highlighted deep gaps in coordination between emergency and public health services. Residents said calls to emergency hotlines 117 and 112 went unanswered.
Police officers at the Central Police Station insisted they lacked authority to remove the body, while Connaught Hospital officials pointed to mortuary renovations and redirected responsibility to the Freetown City Council.
When contacted, Mohamed Bangura, head of the council’s desolate unit, acknowledged that the matter fell under his office but admitted the council’s only emergency vehicle was unavailable.
“I cannot say when the vehicle will return or when the body will be collected,” he said.
By late evening, the man’s remains were still at the roadside, covered only with a thin cloth placed by sympathetic residents.
“It’s heartbreaking,” said another witness. “No one deserves to be left like that.”
The incident has intensified public frustration over the handling of unclaimed bodies in the city. With limited resources, unclear lines of responsibility, and poor inter-agency coordination, Freetown continues to grapple with a crisis that touches both public health and human dignity.
