By Alhaji Haruna Sani
Inspector General of the Sierra Leone Police has confirmed the extradition of former Chief Superintendent of Police, Mohamed Turay aka as Yeatey Yeatey from the Republic of Liberia to Sierra Leone.
IG William Fayia Sellu also disclosed that five military personnel and three police officers suspected of having a hand in the alleged aborted coup are on the run and that police have launched a manhunt for them.
The extradition of Yaetay Yaetay came after the Government of Sierra Leone requested from the Liberian to arrest and send him to Sierra Leone to face allegation of subversion.
The Sierra Leone Police issued on July 31st issued a press statement in which its claimed that some military personnel including civilians and Sierra Leone police officers were planning to undermine the peace and security of the state.
On Monday, August 7th, news broke out that the former Police Chief had been arrested in Liberia.
Yesterday, during a maiden weekly press conference organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tower Hill in Freetown, I.G William Fayia Sellu affirmed that the ongoing arrests have been meticulously predicated on substantial evidence.
He disclosed that the apprehended individuals include a total of 17 suspects, comprising 8 middle-level officers (ranking from Lieutenant to Major, 6 non-commissioned officers of the RSLAF, 2 police officers, 1 retired police superintendent, and 2 civilians).
He allayed the fears of citizens that the security sector is on top of situation at the moment and that there is no cause for alarm.
He said those on the run pose no security threat to the country, and that the police have tightened border security with a heightened internal intelligence gathering involving civilians as well.
The relatives of Yete Yete had earlier claimed that he is innocent of being involved in the recent alleged coup plot against President Bio. They also insisted that they are yet to see any proof or evidence from the Liberia National Police to validate the allegation.
“They further state that since he went to Liberia in 2022, he has never been to Sierra Leone. He only travelled once to Ghana to see his grandchildren. Since then, he has not gone anywhere,” the relative said.
