Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Joe Kamanda Bongay
Had it not been for the timely intervention of community people at Mambo in the Western Area Rural District, Alfred Joseph Lavallie, Afrimoney’s Corporate Sales Manager would have been a dead man by now, after a senior Police Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Joe Kamanda Bongay, allegedly drew out his pistol to gun the young man down. CSP was later joined by four other senior Police Officers, including CSP Bob Mansaray and Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Tommy of the Lumley Police Division, to physically assault him at the Adonkia Police Station. The Police Doctor’s report states that the victim, Alfred Joseph Lavallie sustained a human bite mark on his left arm, injury on his right palm, and general body pain. The Police Complaint, Discipline and Internal Investigations Department (CDIID) has already obtained a statement from the victim whilst investigations continue. “Incidents involving police brutality are a matter of serious concern and require appropriate attention.
In cases where senior police officers are involved in the brutalization of a civilian, a thorough investigation must be carried out to establish the facts and hold accountable those responsible for their actions,” a source at CDIID told this press on Friday.
The ugly incident started at about 16:30 hours at Mambo Community, where the Africell Manager visited to transact some personal business, little did he know that his adversary was on his way to wreak havoc on him. “I parked my vehicle on the side of the road while trying to ask a friend, Abu Bakarr Sheriff, for directions. A vehicle suddenly came from the back, with the driver ordering me to move from the road. I responded politely that there is enough road on the other lane to use,” Lavallie said and continued that “the driver of the said vehicle came down and approached me with indecent words. I told him in a soft tone that I had done nothing wrong.” He explained that he never knew that it was CSP Kamanda Bongay, until after he had been given several punches inside his vehicle. “I managed to come down from my vehicle and I received a dirty slap from the man in a civilian mufti. I retaliated with a slap, which angered him and caused him to enter his vehicle, and take his pistol to kill me. I grabbed his arms to prevent him from releasing a shot on me. At this moment other civilians came in to separate us,” Lavallie said.
Eyewitnesses report that Lavallie used his vehicle with CSP Kamanda Bongay and other Officers with him. He was further given severe punches whilst driving to Adonkia Police Station. “I was taken to Adonkia Police Station as a suspect and handed over to the Crime Officer. After they saw me in a helpless situation and after giving my side of the story, the Crime Officer and other Police Personnel present realized that my right had been abused,” he said and furthered that whilst the Crime Officer and other personnel were trying to address the problem, four Senior Police Officers, who he can identify, descended on him, used his body as a punching bag and threatened to kill him. “I was later placed in protective custody on the orders of the Crime Officer,” he said.
Also at the scene of the crime was a Member of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Kabba (otherwise known as Small Borbor), who prevailed on the senior police officers to save the life of the young man. “The Member of Parliament was warned and threatened by Lavallie’s attackers,” an eye witness said and furthered that the police officers were desperately searching for the car keys of the victim to allegedly make a case against him. “I don’t know whether they had wanted to place drugs in the vehicle to present a case that the victim had drugs or not,” the witness said.
Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Joe Kamanda Bongay could not be reached for comment.
