Former Sierra Leonean Police Chief Superintendent Arrested in Liberia Over Alleged Coup Plot in Sierra Leone

Former Chief Superintendent of the Sierra Leonean Police, Mohammed Yaetey Turay who had sought refuge in Liberia after being dismissed, has been apprehended by the Liberia National Police.

The arrest came in response to a request from Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, who accused the ex-police officer of involvement in a recently foiled coup plot.

Chief Superintendent Mohammed Yaetey Turay has been residing in Liberia since March 2022. He was dismissed from the Sierra Leone Police in May 2020. He was among several other officers who were dismissed while others were forced into retirement.

Their dismissals were, however, highly criticized and condemned, with many stakeholders believing the dismissal was based on ethnic differences.

CSP Turay’s relative in Monrovia (name withheld), informed FrontPageAfrica that the Liberia National Police refused to allow her to serve him food on Sunday when she visited the Liberia National Police headquarters where he is being held in custody.

”On Friday around 2-3 O’clock they arrested him. They said he was part of the people who set a coup against the Sierra Leone Government, so, they arrested him and carried him to Central this morning I carried food to him but they refused to allow him to receive the food from me, they said they’re not allowing anybody to see him,” the relative said.

According to relatives, they were informed that the Liberian government wants to send him back to Sierra Leone at President Bio’s request.

The family member, however, claimed he is innocent of being involved in the recent alleged coup plot against President Bio after the controversial elections.

The relative insisted that they are yet to see any proof or evidence from the Liberia National Police to validate the allegation.

“Since he came from Sierra Leone on March 19, 2022, he has never gone to Sierra Leone. He only travelled once to Ghana to see his grandchildren. Since then, he has not gone anywhere,” the relative said.

His relatives in Monrovia expressed fear for his life should he be extradited to Sierra Leone under this circumstance and appealed to the Liberian government to rather keep in Liberia and monitor him.

Several phone calls placed to the Spokesman of the Liberia National Police for comments were not answered throughout Sunday up to press time.

Last week, the Sierra Leonean Police disclosed that some senior military officers had been working to undermine the peace and tranquillity of the state and had planned to unleash violence on the country.