Sierra Leone elections: Woman killed after police fired shots at opposition party HQ

A woman was killed in Sierra Leone by the police who reportedly fired shots and tear gas at the main opposition party headquarters in the capital Freetown while they were awaiting the results of the recently-concluded elections. The victim was later identified as a nurse and party volunteer who was reported to be severely wounded, on Sunday.

What happened on Sunday?

The West African nation recently conducted its presidential election where incumbent President Julius Maada Bio, was reelected on Tuesday. However, the count has been disputed by the opposition.

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The incident took place, on Sunday, the opposition’s presidential candidate Samura Kamara of All People’s Congress (APC)in a series of tweets said that his party headquarters has been surrounded by the military and live bullets had been fired at his office.

“I have been barricaded in my APC party headquarters during my live press conference. Live bullets and teargas fired at my offices by government forces,” said the APC presidential candidate.

“People laying on the floor and the military has surrounded the building,” said Kamara, in a separate tweet. He added, “Live bullets fired at my private office at the Party headquarters. This is an assassination attempt.”

The party HQ in the capital city of Freetown was reportedly surrounded by police officers and the presidential guard during a post-election press conference. Kamara also said that “foreign journalists trapped in my office.”

Reuters, on Sunday, also reported that one woman was found severely wounded around the neck area and was found without a pulse. The news agency also saidthat the window of the room she was found in, had a “shattered hole the size of a fist.”

According to media reports, around 200 members of the security forces blocked access to the APC’s HQ in Freetown.

“We were just here on a press conference, then the next thing we knew we started hearing firing, and our whole office is surrounded by police and army,” said party spokesperson, Sidi Yaya Tunis, as quoted by Reuters.

She 'died a hero': Victim's son onparty volunteer'sdeath

The woman was later identified as 64-year-old Hawa Dumbuya, who was a nurse and party volunteer, was found to be shot in the head, reported the Guardian.

Dumbuya’s 26-year-old son, Ibrahim Conceh, said that his mother “died a hero for me,” as quoted by the British media report.

He added, “She died for a righteous cause. Until her last breath, she was administering care for injured people. I want the international community to find the killer or the person who ordered such a barbaric act. I want justice.”

According to the Guardian, the 26-year-old who is also a law student has been unable to retrieve his mother’s body since it was taken to the mortuary by police andwishes to bury it in accordance with the Islamic tradition.

“I don’t know the games they are playing,” said Conceh, as quoted by the British media report, adding that he also doesn’t understand “why they want to hold her body.”

(With inputs from agencies)

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