VILLAGERS DEMAND JUSTICE FOR MAN KILLED OVER MISSING GOAT IN KARENE DISTRICT

By Mohamed Kamara

Thousands of residents of Mayankay Village in the Labesaygahun Chiefdom, headquartered in Bathkanu in Karene District, North West Sierra Leone, led by master farmer Mr. Joseph Yankay Kargbo, are planning a peaceful protest at the Rogbanah Police Station in Makeni. The protest is over the delayed investigation into the killing of Mr. Mohamed Kargbo, age 53, in August 2024. He was accused of killing a goat belonging to the Speaker of the Chiefdom, Mr. Lamin Kargbo, the brother of Paramount Chief P/C Bai Yankay Kargbo II.

Despite attempts to reach the Communications Officer, Mr. John Abass, through the Investigation Officer ASP John G.K. Williams, the press was not given any official comments. However, an on-the-spot interview was conducted with Mr. Joseph Yankay, who currently resides in the USA, and three indigenes of Mayankay Village.

Eyewitnesses from Mayankay Village reported that the goat belonged to Speaker Mr. Lamin Kargbo. When the goat went missing and was later found dead in the bush, men loyal to the Speaker set up an ambush at the scene. While the victim, Mohamed Kargbo, was delivering food to his farm workers with one Osman Kargbo, they noticed the smell of decay. Mohamed left Osman on the road and went to investigate, finding the dead goat. Two men emerged from the bush, interrogated him, and then beat him to death. Farmers who arrived at the scene later reported the incident, and Speaker Lamin Kargbo allegedly remarked, “He who kills an animal without permission should equally be killed.” This comment raised suspicions among residents, prompting them to notify the Rogbanah Police, who arrested three suspects in August. Since then, villagers have not been updated on the case, fueling concerns about the investigation’s integrity.

Adding to the unrest, there is widespread dissatisfaction with the fact that Paramount Chief P/C Bai Yankay Kargbo II, though in good health, has delegated his duties to Speaker Lamin Kargbo. Villagers claim that the Speaker’s appointment was never approved by the Chiefdom Committee. Additionally, Speaker Kargbo has been accused of taking bribes from cattle owners, whose animals have caused millions of Leones worth of damage to crops over the past two decades since he assumed his unofficial role.