By Joseph Momoh, D.S.
Police have arrested 25 people after a motorcycle rider was beaten to death by a mob and subsequent rioting left several police facilities in flames Sunday, authorities said.
The Sierra Leone Police confirmed that Abdulai Kallon, a commercial bike rider from Daru, died on June 21, 2026, following a violent confrontation in Kailahun Town.
According to an SLP statement, officers first responded to a report of an intruder at a residence in the township. By the time police arrived, the individual had left the compound.
Shortly afterward, officers encountered a crowd that had seized a man suspected in the earlier incident and was subjecting him to “severe mob violence.” Police identified the victim as Kallon. He was taken into custody and was being transported to the station when he died, the statement said.
Police said misinformation spread rapidly among commercial bike riders alleging that officers had killed Kallon. The claim triggered unrest across the town.
Groups of riders and other youths set fire to multiple police properties, including the barracks on Pendembu Road, a four-apartment residential block, a police post, and additional facilities, according to the SLP.
Twenty-five suspects are now in custody facing allegations of homicide, public disorder, and arson. Investigations are ongoing.
Calm has been restored and normal activity has resumed in Kailahun, police said.
The SLP pledged a “free, fair, transparent, and impartial investigation” into all aspects of the incident and appealed for public cooperation. Residents with information on other individuals involved in the disturbances are urged to come forward.
The force reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property and maintaining law and order nationwide.
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