By Donald Theo-Harding
On Monday, September 1st, 2024, the serene village of Hastings in the Western Rural District of Freetown was shattered by the shocking discovery of Superintendent Adeyemi Coker’s lifeless body. Found in a hedge near his home, Coker’s death has since sparked concern, outrage, and speculation. The seasoned police officer, aged 56, received a call at around 9:00 PM the previous night, prompting him to leave his house. He never returned.
An autopsy confirmed what many feared: Superintendent Coker was strangled. MANUAL STRANULATION the report said. But beyond this revelation, progress in the investigation has been frustratingly slow. Weeks have passed, and the police have yet to release further updates on who might be responsible for this tragic death.
At his funeral on Sunday, September 22nd, at the St. Thomas the Hastings Village Church, emotions ran high. The somber atmosphere was punctuated by a passionate address from the Bishop of the Anglican Church, Bishop A.I. Wilson who did not mince his words. “If a police officer could meet a death like this, what about us ordinary civilians?” the Bishop asked the grieving crowd. He urged the police to expedite the investigation, especially by tracing the mysterious call that lured Superintendent Coker from his home. “What is so difficult about that?” he questioned, echoing the frustrations of many.
The Bishop’s call to action underscored a broader sense of unease in the community. Superintendent Coker had served the Sierra Leone Police for 35 years, a long and dedicated career that spanned various branches of the force. His professionalism earned him respect, making his violent death all the more shocking. However, the funeral was marked by a glaring absence of his police colleagues. Despite his decades of service, only a few officers were present at the burial, and none attended the vigil service where tributes to fallen officers are usually offered.
This lack of police presence at the funeral did not go unnoticed. Many in the crowd whispered their dismay. Why did the institution he had served so faithfully fail to honor him in death? Why had the investigation into his murder stalled? These questions lingered, alongside the most pressing one: Who killed Superintendent Adeyemi Coker?
In contrast to the police’s muted presence, the Diocesan Men’s Union (DMU) — the church organization where Coker served as a Past President – was highly visible throughout the service. The DMU, an organization known for its commitment to community and spiritual leadership, filled the void left by the absent officers, ensuring their fallen member was not forgotten.
As mourners bid farewell to Superintendent Coker, the community remained haunted by the unresolved mystery. Was his murder linked to his work as a high-ranking officer, or was it something more personal? Why had the investigation seemingly stalled? The silence from the police force has only fueled speculation, leading to growing frustration among residents.
For now, Hastings village, and indeed the entire country, is left grappling with a chilling reality: If a man of the law, a leader in his community, could be killed so brutally, what does that say about the safety of ordinary citizens? Superintendent Coker’s death has become a symbol of the growing insecurity that many fear may go unchecked, leaving more questions than answers.
Until the mystery is solved, Superintendent Adeyemi Coker’s name will be synonymous with the haunting question: Who killed him, and why?
The nation, his family, and his colleagues deserve answers.
