Youth Leader Declared Wanted Over August 10th Protests
In Freetown, Sierra Leone, Mohamed Sheku Conteh, a well-known youth leader from the Rogbangba community, has been declared wanted by local authorities due to his alleged involvement in the violent anti-government protests that erupted across the nation on August 10, 2022.
Conteh is accused of rallying young people in his area to join the demonstrations, which quickly turned chaotic and deadly. Official reports indicate that these protests resulted in the tragic deaths of at least 27 civilians and six police officers, marking one of the most lethal civil disturbances since Sierra Leone’s civil war came to an end.
According to police sources, Conteh was initially taken into custody along with several others identified as key figures in the unrest. However, he managed to escape after a group of protesters stormed the Kissy Police Station—one of several police facilities targeted during the unrest—overpowering the officers and freeing detainees. This attack caused considerable damage to police property and disrupted law enforcement efforts in the eastern part of the capital.
Since that day, Conteh’s location has been a mystery, raising concerns among his family and community. Some relatives fear that he and others who escaped might have been secretly executed amid the chaos, although authorities have not confirmed any such claims.
To recapture Conteh and others associated with the riots, the Sierra Leone Police have issued a public alert and are offering a reward of twenty million Leones for information leading to their arrest. The government has labeled the protests as an “insurrection” and is determined to bring everyone involved to justice.
The protests on August 10 were initially ignited by frustrations over economic struggles, unemployment, and governance issues, but they quickly escalated into violent clashes between civilians and security forces. The scale and intensity of the violence have left a lasting impact on the community.