Though the police prefer to call it State subversion and other crime semantics, the development has been widely reported as a coup attempt.
Making a statement on the issue at a press conference held by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, the Inspector General of Police William Fayia Sellu says the arrests were made on intelligence that some people were planning to destabilise the State.
According to the security sector, those arrested and being investigated for “state subversion” include fourteen serving personnel of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), two officers of the Sierra Leone Police, one retired chief superintendent of police and two arrested.
Five military officers and three police officers are said to be on the run.
In a similar development, Liberian authorities have arrested and handed over a former senior Sierra Leone officer Mohamed Turay accused of planning a coup against President Julius Maada Bio’s government.
Liberian Information Minister Ledgerhood Rennie said Mohamed Turay was arrested at the request of the Sierra Leone government.
William Fayia Sellu, Inspector General of Police
