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The people of Kukuna Town, in the Braimaia Chiefdom, Kambia District, were in for a rude awakening on Sunday, 24th January, when men, led by a military officer called Lieutenant Bah and the newly elected Paramount Chief, Alie Kosay Kamara (nee Bangura), who was armed with two pistols, descended on the town and launched a rebel-style attack on them.
The time was around 8am, when 30 years old Mabinty Koroma, a businesswoman, saw a large number of men moving from Kabaya Village where the Paramount Chief, Alie Kosay resides, moving towards her.
"I was busy laundering," Mabinty said, "when I saw some men moving towards me in a threatening manner. A sixth sense told me to flee and that was wise".
Mabinty sustained injuries on her knees and palms as she was fleeing.
"Two of them pursued me but I was lucky to escape from them" Mabinty said.
Up at the town at a section called Mehema, a man called Alimamy Lamina Kamara said at around that same time he saw P.C. Alie Kosay armed with two pistols and escorted by Lt.Bah.
"Alie Kosay fired five shots," 65 years old stocky built Mr. Kamara said looking over his shoulders still having nightmare about the attack.
According to Mr. Kamara, he fled to the upper section of the town.
"On my return, I found my house burnt systematically room by room". Pointing to his burnt furniture, Mr. Kamara, wiping tears from his eyes said: "this is Alie Kosay's handiwork all because we made it clear that we the Susus who are in the majority here, do not want a Limba man who does not belong, to our Paramount Chieftaincy here. "Five bullet holes were seen on the zinc roofing of a house.
An eighty eight years old man Fasineh Kamara who laid critically ill when this press went to Kukuna, had his own story to tell. Speaking in Susu and struggling with his speech he explained: "I was sitting on my verandah when I saw some men coming from Kabaya," the old man explained.
"They kicked and punched me all over my body. As if not satisfied, they carried me to a mango tree and tied me up and continued beating me". The six footer, fair complexioned man, now looks like a vegetable unable to stand or even sit upright.
According to witnesses, the P.C. was seen wearing red T-shirts, a pair of white shorts and a 'ronko' cap.
Form 3 pupil of the St. Mary's Secondary School, Kukuna, Ma Isata Sillah, escaped narrowly from the attackers but she and her dad returned to find their house on fire.
"They took away most of our property including my bag, books, school uniforms and shoes," the 15 year old girl lamented.
"It was the Catholic Priest in the area that offered me some books and uniforms. Now I go to school wearing slippers".
Ma Isata's dad, Abu Bakarr Sillah's fingers are badly scolded, injuries he sustained while he tried desperately to put out the fire.
"I could have been raped by those thugs," Ma Dumbuya who was on holiday at Kukuna from Guinea explained. "I was captured live by them but as luck would have it they only beat me up and stabbed me on my feet and let me go".
Apart from the destruction the invaders made away with bags of rice and groundnut sugar and salt, boxes of maggi cubes, bails of clothes and other items estimated to be over Le300m.
The attack launched by the PC was as a result of an incident which took place at the Court Barray the previous day, (Saturday, 23rd January).
According to witnesses, Alie Kosay and some twenty men uprooted a paw-paw tree which was standing by the east side of the court barray and attempted to bury something there at around 9p.m but they were prevented by angry youths.
It was at that point, according to witnesses that he vowed to teach Kukuna a lesson.
Alie Kosay has confirmed to this press that Lt. Bah acts as his personal bodyguard when he is in the area.
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