By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
FREETOWN, Aug 6 (232News) – The national headquarters of the Timber Association Sierra Leone (TA-SL) situated at Bai Bureh Road Calaba Town, Freetown was on Tuesday 8th June attacked in the morning hours leading to the looting of the sum of Le250,000,000 and computers.
The attack was carried out days after TASL wrote an official letter companioning about moves being made for the formation of another Timber Association and series of threats they have been receiving targeting their lives and the office.
The letter which was dated 6th June, 2021 was addressed to the Minister of Environment and other line ministries including the Office of National Security (ONS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
TASL Financial Secretary and Administrator, Lamin Dainkeh Kargbo explained that they held a meeting in the office in the morning hours before they left to engage government officials in order for them to see reasons to reduce the five (5) months ban period on the activities of timber to three (3) months when they received a call from their office assistant informing them of the attack which was carried out by the very people who have been making threats against them.
“The cupboards were broken, about Two Hundred and Fifty Million missing which I left in the office before going for the meeting. 5 Canon computers, printer and photocopier were also carted away with,” Kargbo accounted.
He maintained that other offices including the office of the National Chairman were also attacked.
TASL National Chairman, Mohamed Forna while waiting for the Inspector General of Police for a meeting at the Police Headquarters in Freetown informed this medium about the peaceful elections, they held on February 24th 2021 which was called for by the government and conducted by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
He said the inauguration which took place at the national stadium was witnessed by people from all walks of life.
“We have set up our executive and everything is going on smoothly from that time,” he affirmed.
He continued that for 4 weeks now they have been receiving threats from those that lost the election.
He disclosed that on the 5th of June 2021 around 10 pm police officers went with two vehicles alleging that they have warrant of arrest for him but failed to show the warrant which he asked them to produce.
The Chairman said as a low abiding citizen, he reported himself to the police the following day but that nobody told him the crime he committed.
He said in their WhatsApp forum those that lost the election allegedly form a team and said they will take over their office and indeed they saw some of those people during the attack from the video evidence they have.
“I have been given 4 years mandate which they have to accept and allow my administration to serve our people. We have all the evidence of the action the opposition took and we are going to tender it to the Police,” he noted.
