Sierra Leone police open fire at opposition HQ

 Police fired guns and teargas on the headquarters of an opposition party and arrested supporters during celebrations for Sierra Leone’s Independence Day on Wednesday, the party and police said.

Hundreds of people had gathered outside the headquarters of Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) to celebrate the holiday and the party’s founding in 1951. The day is celebrated with carni­val-like dances in the streets.

“We warned them not to come out with their masquerade because they did not have a permit to do so,” police official, Al Shek Ka­mara, said.

Brima Koroma, an SLPP administrator, said the party had been denied the permit. The police had fired tear gas and live rounds, he said.

“They also ransacked our party office, roughed up and arrested some of our members,” Koroma said.

Neither he nor the police said how many arrests had occurred. Police did not confirm that they had fired live rounds.

The clash took place two years before a presidential election. Supporters have urged President Ernest Bai Koroma to extend his mandate beyond his two-term lim­it, although he has denied through his spokesman that he had such a plan.

Official results are yet to be an­nounced following Sierra Leone’s general election on Saturday, but President Julius Maada Bio and his main rival, Samura Kamara, are both claiming victory.

It has been a tense campaign marred by violence. Mr Kamara says live ammunition was fired into his party’s headquarters as he held a news conference on Sunday.

A woman there was reportedly wounded and there are fears for her life. Saturday’s vote saw a high turnout, with voters telling the BBC the process was smooth despite ballots opening hours late in many areas.

There had been concern about potential clashes in the run-up to the vote.

On Wednesday, Mr Kamara’s All People’s Congress (APC) alleged that one of its supporters was shot dead by police, which the police have denied. Supporters of both main parties have been accused of attacking opponents.

Accusations of election irregu­larities were also being thrown on Saturday, after Mr Kamara alleged ballot stuffing and voter suppres­sion in some parts of the country. —BBC

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