19-Year-Old Hamza Kamara Declared Wanted as Authorities Escalate August 10 Manhunt
Sierra Leonean security authorities have declared Hamza Kamara, a 19-year-old, wanted in connection with the violent August 10, 2022 nationwide protests, which, according to official accounts, resulted in the deaths of six police officers and dozens of civilians, alongside widespread destruction of public and private property.
Kamara is alleged by authorities to have played a leading role in the unrest that engulfed parts of Freetown and several provincial towns, when protests over the rising cost of living spiralled into deadly confrontations between demonstrators and security forces. Government officials maintain that the protests were not spontaneous, but rather orchestrated and coordinated, with Kamara named among those accused of helping to mobilise and direct the violence.
Over a week now after the unrest, Kamara’s whereabouts remain unknown, raising growing concern among family members who say they have neither seen nor heard from him since the security crackdown that followed the protests. Relatives privately fear that “the worst may have happened,” amid reports of arrests, detentions, and deaths during and after the disturbances, though no official confirmation has been provided regarding Kamara’s fate.
Security sources say the search for Kamara is part of efforts to bring to justice all individuals accused of masterminding or leading the August 10 violence. Authorities insist that accountability is necessary to deter future unrest and to honour the memory of those who lost their lives.
“The state has a duty to pursue all suspects linked to the killings of security personnel and civilians,” a senior security official said, adding that investigations into the events are ongoing and that those found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Human rights groups, however, have repeatedly called for transparency, due process, and accountability on all sides, noting that many questions remain unanswered about the exact circumstances surrounding the deaths, the use of lethal force, and the treatment of suspects in custody following the protests.
The August 10 demonstrations marked one of the deadliest episodes of civil unrest in Sierra Leone’s post-war history, exposing deep public frustration over economic hardship, governance, and trust in state institutions. While the government maintains that order was restored, the legacy of the protests continues to reverberate—through unresolved cases, grieving families, and young people like Hamza Kamara, whose disappearance remains a troubling symbol of the period’s aftermath.
As authorities press ahead with their manhunt, Kamara’s case underscores the enduring tension between the state’s pursuit of justice and families’ fears over the fate of those swept up in one of the country’s darkest recent chapters.