August 10 Uprising…
Opposition Member Martin Kargbo Declared Wanted
As political tensions escalated across Sierra Leone in the wake of the August 10, 2022 protests, members and sympathizers of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) found themselves increasingly targeted by the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) government. What began as a demonstration against worsening economic hardship and political repression quickly morphed into a nationwide crisis—marked by brutal crackdowns, deaths, and a wave of politically motivated arrests.
Among the victims of this repression is Martin Kargbo, a satellite technician and a strong member of the APC, who has now been declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police. His alleged crimes include “Incitement” and “riotous conduct,” according to authorities—a fate shared by many others who dared to protest or speak out.
Martin, a resident of Abbot Street in the Fourah Bay community of eastern Freetown, was arrested shortly after joining peaceful demonstrators on August 10. Eyewitnesses recall how he and several others were brutally beaten and tortured during arrest by Sierra Leone Police officers. After two days in detention at the Ross Road Police Station, chaos erupted when angry protesters stormed the facility in an attempt to free those detained. In the confusion, Martin and others escaped custody.
At a press briefing on August 15th, 2022, Police Spokesman AIG Brima Kamara confirmed that Martin remains a fugitive. Authorities have offered a reward for information leading to his re-arrest.
Family members describe Martin as a peaceful man whose only “crime” was believing in the ideals and past achievements of the APC party. His cousin, Dauda, told this medium that Martin had grown disillusioned with the SLPP government’s handling of national affairs and was outspoken about it.
“People knew where he stood politically, and that made him a target,” Dauda said. “He had to keep moving from place to place, not knowing who he could trust.”
Residents of Fourah Bay say Martin was one of many caught in the crossfire between politics and survival. Ramadan Algali, a neighbor, recounted how police and military stormed APC strongholds and opened fire during what began as peaceful protests. “Martin was lucky to escape alive,” he said. “Others were not.”
Reports indicate that in the months following the protests and the elections, hundreds of opposition supporters have been arrested, detained without trial, or disappeared. Many remain in custody on charges widely seen as politically motivated.
As of press time, the whereabouts of Martin Kargbo remain unknown. His story underscores a broader pattern of political persecution in Sierra Leone—where expressing dissent or aligning with the opposition can cost you your freedom, and even your life.