Violence Flares In Sierra Leone Ahead Of Presidential Vote

Violence broke out around Sierra Leone’s main opposition party headquarters on Wednesday, killing at least one person, days before an election in which President Julius Maada Bio is seeking a second and final term.

Sidi Yahya Tunis, a spokesperson for the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) said one of its supporters was killed by police. A police spokesperson declined to comment, saying there would be a news conference later.

“We had asked our supporters to converge at our party headquarters. When they started coming the police advanced and tried to disperse them,” said Tunis.

Videos shared on Twitter showed civilians carrying an unconscious man, who appeared to have been shot in the neck. Reuters has not verified the footage.

A mortuary in the city centre of the capital Freetown said it had picked up one body from the area with gunshot wounds.

There have been concerns of unrest in the run-up to the poll, similar to deadly anti-government protests that broke out last August. But in a Tuesday evening address to the nation, Bio had pledged to act decisively against any violence.