Freetown, August 10, 2025 — The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) today marked the third anniversary of the tragic killings of six of its officers during the violent anti-government unrest that shook Freetown and parts of northern Sierra Leone on August 10, 2022.
A solemn remembrance was held in honor of Superintendent Osman Fofanah, Sergeant Tommy Munda, Sergeant Desmond Hanciles, Sergeant Ibrahim Jalloh, Police Constable Abu Bakar Turay, and Police Constable Charles Edward Kubu-Smart — all of whom lost their lives while on duty.
The August 2022 protests, initially sparked by political and economic grievances, spiraled into deadly confrontations that claimed both police and civilian lives. Among the civilian casualties was 16-year-old Kadiatu, fatally shot while standing on her veranda at Blackhall Road, Kissy.
The unrest prompted a nationwide curfew and drew widespread condemnation from President Julius Maada Bio, who labeled the violence “an act of terrorism” and vowed justice.
A state funeral was held on August 23, 2022, at the Police Training School in Hastings, attended by the President, First Lady Fatima Bio, Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, senior government officials, and grieving families.
The incident, which saw police stations attacked and public property destroyed, remains a painful reminder of the fragility of peace in Sierra Leone.
An investigative committee chaired by Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai was later formed, though many of the 133 initially detained were released due to lack of evidence.
