Preamble



Responding to the 7a.m radio announcement on Kiss 104 (and wide rumours) of an assassination attempt on the life of the APC presidential candidate Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma at the countryside guesthouse in the early hours of this morning (23-07-07) by the SLPP, the UNDT members inclusive of the Bo based UNDP/TST Field Officer instigated an information gathering exercise in a bid to ascertain the facts. Coincidentally, the APC had the official permission from the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) to conduct their political rally on the principal streets of Bo on this same day. The UNDT members at different times visited several locations including the countryside guesthouse on the Bo-Kenema highway, the Yilla hospital on Prince Williams Street, the Bo police station, and the SLPP Office on Fenton Road. Persons interviewed and spoken to included workers at the countryside guesthouse, some of the body guards and supporters of the APC Leader Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma, some of the entourage of Mr. Tom Nyuma, the SLP, the Press from Bo and key members of the SLPP.  



Findings and observations



-         Mr. Tom Nyuma, came and booked into the countryside guesthouse yesterday 23-07-07 from Kailahun at 12 mid night in room 04 of one of the (three-rooms) apartment at the guesthouse. Tom Nyuma, it should be re-called was a senior secretary of state and member of the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) between 1992 to 1996 when the military handed over power to president Tejan-Kabbah. He later left for the United States in the early 2000s after serving in the army a while under Tejan-Kabbah but was recently deported from the US for domestic violence.



-         Mr. Warrich Sankoh (one of the men in the company of Mr. Tom Nyuma) indicated that they came into Bo from Buedu through Kailahun town. Himself (Warrich Sankoh), Tom Nyuma and seven others including the younger brother of Tom Nyuma, and a lady were in the company of the Finance Minister -Mr. John Benjamin and had intended to leave Bo for Freetown by 4 A.M on the 23-07-07.



-         The APC Leader Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma and a very large encourage came into Bo at about 3:30 a.m in the early hours of 23-07-07 from Mattru Jong in the Bonthe district where the APC had conducted a rally. Contrary to the early intelligence that Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma was to stay in the Sahara guesthouse at old Gerehun road, Mr. Bai Koroma was booked into room 05 (more or less) opposite room 04, inter-alia given to Mr. Tom Nyuma. The only remaining room 03 of that same apartment was given to Ernest Bai Koroma¹s top security Guard ­ one Mr Idrissa Kamara.



-         According to most of the APC supporters, whilst the APC Leader was in his room, Tom Nyuma and some of his men attempted to force open the door of the room of their leader with the aim of assassinating him. The attempt by Tom Nyuma to enter the room was allegedly forcefully halted by the Leader¹s body guards. The lock on the door of the room of the APC Leader was noted to be slightly damaged. Also there was a pool of blood on the floor and wall of the corridor closer to Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma¹s room. On the contrary, Mr. Warich Sankoh (and some of the supporters of the SLPP that were with Tom Nyuma that night) who were staying in their vehicle outside the guesthouse reported that scarcely when the APC Leader and entourage arrived at the guesthouse by 3:30 a.m and learnt that Mr Tom Nyuma was in the guesthouse - a search ensued and confrontation started with them outside of the guesthouse. In the process he (Mr. Warich Sankoh) and seven others were over-powered, molested, forced on to the ground and tied. After which the body guards of the APC Leader lead by onetime SLAF / RUF commander Idrissa Kamara alias ³Leather Booth² went into the guesthouse and straight into Tom Nyuma¹s room. Tom Nyuma and one of his encourage Mr Philip Jimmy were badly beaten and tied as well.  



-         ³Leather Booth² the UNDT reliably learnt was one of Tom Nyuma¹s bodyguard when he Tom was Secretary of state of the NPRC. But Leather Booth later fell out of favour with Tom / army and he joined the RUF as a commander.  



-         Mr. Warich Sankoh & the seven other SLPP members reported that all of their belongings such as mobile phones, wearing and cash were taken away from them by the bodyguards of the APC Leader.



-         The SLP led by LUC Daboh arrived at the Guesthouse by 4.00a.m after a call to the Inspector General of police by the APC Leader reporting an assassination attempt on his life by the SLPP through Tom Nyuma.



-         LUC Daboh indicated that he un-tied the men, search them /their room and in particular took the two badly beaten ones (Mr. Tom Nyuma and Mr. Philip Jimmy) to the police station and later to Dr. Yillah¹s private hospital on Prince William street. At that point the SLP did not find any weapon or ammunition on Tom Nyuma not even in his room. However, the police boss indicated during the press conference that whilst Mr. Tom Nyuma and Philip Jimmy were about to be taken into police custody and hospital, some of the APC supporters at the guesthouse told them that they should search the vehicle of Tom Nyuma as it may have arms.



-         A box of ammunition was later found in the vehicle. Both the vehicle and the box of ammunition are at the police station according to SLP. A hastily arranged press conference was help today by AIG south D.D. Duck and LUC Daboh to brief the nervous Bo town population about what has happened so far and the subsequent actions by the police.



-         The Police are yet to come up with an official statement on what really happened at the countryside guesthouse. The SLP promised to conduct a very speedy investigation and inform the public accordingly in the next few days.



-         No arrest has been made and at the time of writing this report, I saw Tom Nyuma and Philip Jimmy sleeping on their beds at the Dr. Yillah hospital at around 10 a.m. Philip Jimmy had a swollen face with deep cuts on his face whilst Tom Nyuma also had a cut on his head but not as bad a Philip. At the hospital senior SLPP members were making arrangements to take Tom & Philip to Freetown for proper medication. Prior to seeing these two guys at Dr. Yillah¹s hospital, one of our UNDT members who rushed to the police station from her house upon hearing the announcement on the radio saw and tried to speak to Tom and Philip while they were still at the police station.



-         I and two other UNDT members met the APC Leader in his room at the countryside this morning and he looked unshaken by what had happened around him before we arrived. He gave a big smile as we open his door as well as greeted us warmly indicating to us that he was well and very okay.



-         In spite of the incident at the countryside guesthouse, the APC rally went on undisturbed on the principal streets of Bo. And like I indicated last in the UNDP retreat in Freetown even for the rallies of other parties, a lot of children actively participated in this rally too.



-         One key concern by everybody that went to the countryside guesthouse this morning is the number and the use of notorious ex-combatant by Mr. Ernest Bai Koroma as bodyguards. The UNDT unanimously agrees that all political party leaders are now using notorious former fighters from the RUF, SLA, AFRC, NPRC and CDF as bodyguards, which is very disturbing.



-         Intuitively and confidentially as well, most of the former fighters seen at the countryside guesthouse appear to have at least some weapons if not pistols as evidence by their confidence and sort of small bags they carry around their waist and body ­ typical of belligerents. Similar observations were made for some political party leaders using ex-combatants as guards each time they visit Bo.



-         Frustration can be seen on the faces of the SLPP supporters this morning most of whom were calling openly for retaliation for what they describe as not only a baseless accusation against them and Tom Nyuma but a political ploy to discredit the SLPP.   





Key unanswered questions in the mouth of many



-         Why did the management of the countryside guesthouse decided to put the two high-profile APC & SLPP party members so close to one another? Many people in Bo including the Tom Nyuma group believe that the management of the guesthouse should be blamed for what happened in Bo today as they lost their political sensitivities when dealing with guests. The Guesthouse also lacked a proactive private security.



-         Why did the APC Leader and entourage who where originally supposed to lodge at the Sahara guesthouse ended up in the countryside guesthouse?



-         Who actually owned the box of ammunition found in Tom Nyuma¹ vehicle? Ammunitions were found but where are the weapons / guns for that ammunition?



-         Why are political party flag bearers (in this case Ernest Bai Koroma) and other key politicians moving around the country with such a large number of notorious former fighters as bodyguards? Have they all lost trust and confidence in the SLP for their protection?

-         Was there really an assassination attempt on the life of the APC Leader by Tom Nyuma and Philip Jimmy or was it just an opportunity / a political ploy by the APC who came to the guesthouse much later than Tom Nyuma?

-         For presidential candidates without official bodyguards like the SLP or SLAF, what is making them have the confidence of moving around the country ³un-protected²?

-         Why did the SLP not arrest all those found at the site of this incident? Why no arrest to date though the matter is being investigated?





Conclusion



At a quick meeting of some of the Bo UNDT after information collection and individual analysis, it was unanimously agreed that the incident at the countryside guesthouse has been exaggerated by politicians and radio stations particularly those outside of Bo (in Freetown and radio Maria in Makeni). And that, so far there was no evidence of an assassination attempt except proven later by the police otherwise.

What happened was as a result of two opposing parties seeking power at all cost meeting at the ³right² place at the wrong time.  We are still waiting for an official investigation report from the Bo SLP.

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