'NO EVIDENCE TO ARREST KEMOH SESAY'- AIG MUNU

As the Sierra Leone Police continues to investigate the alleged cocaine
scam at the Freetown International Airport in Lungi, the Assistant
Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of crime, Francis Munu revealed
that, there was no evidence to arrest Kemoh Sesay, Minister of Transport
and Aviation.

There have been calls from the public and certain sections of the Media
that, the Minister of Transport and Aviation be suspended by the president
from his duty and that police investigate him as the political head of the
ministry.

Recently, the Minister told newsmen that, he was informed about the arrival
and forceful landing of the plane at the Airport by the General Manager of
the airport, John Brima and that, based on that, he called and updated the
President, Dr Ernest Bai Koroma on the said incident as the president was
on his way from the Gambia. And further that, he instructed the Manager to
alert security men as the plane was almost landing.

Also the Minister's two brothers, one of them, being the Team Manager for
the national Team Leone Stars, were arrested following suspicion that they
had links to the alleged cocaine aircraft. The Minister of Transport and
Aviation recently admitted that Ahmed Sesay, the Team Manager for Leone
Star was his brother stating that he was a responsible man, and an adult
that was responsible for his own action.

However, Francis Munu speaking yesterday to Awoko over the phone stated
that, they had not arrested the Transport and Aviation Minister, because
they had no evidence against him and that, as a force they "don't arrest
people because they [police] want to persecute but rather, to prosecute".

The Police Boss in charge of crime services said, they were still
collecting forensic evidence from the various scenes related to the alleged
cocaine scam and that, they [police] have also got a team of detectives
from the United Kingdom to help in analyzing the forensic evidence. "It is
true that we have received a team from the UK and they are helping us to
analyse the forensic evidence", Munu said. Asked on the number of arrests
that were made, Munu said, 58 were arrested but that they[Police] had
released some of those that were recently arrested "because we [police] do
not have evidence - sufficient evidence to have them in detention", Munu
stated.

Meanwhile, the alleged cocaine since discovered on board the aircraft had
been in the hands of the United Nations mission in Sierra Leone. The number
of people arrested included South Americans, Venezuelans, and a number of
Sierra Leoneans. Gabriel Kamara, aka GK, believed to be a prime suspect
reportedly went missing since police investigations commenced over a week
ago. Meanwhile the Airport Acting Manager John Brima has been released by
the police.