In a widely circulated press release issued in Sahn Malen on Wednesday 21st January, 2015 the Malen Youths Development Organization in the Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District has condemned, in no uncertain terms the armed and arson attack on personnel and property belonging to agribusiness investors, Socfin Agricultural Company (SL) Limited.
Two expatriate staff members of the company were violently attacked on January 15 in a village close to Bamba. One of the staff members, Gordon Paterson was shot in the arm by some unknown persons. The Police have arrested and detained thirteen suspects in connection with the incident.
The Malen Youths Development Organization condemned the attack on the company describing it as “barbaric and inhuman “. The influential Youth group says its membership was appreciative of the good work Socfin was undertaking in their chiefdom and called on the Government to provide adequate security for the company’s personnel and property. They urged all natives of Malen Chiefdom to join forces together to protect Socfin personnel and property.
The organization’s Chairman, Mustapha Fofana paid glowing tributes to Socfin for creating thousands of jobs for youths in Malen Chiefdom.
Mr. Fofana said his group was one hundred percent supportive of the operations of Socfin in their Chiefdom. He described the management of Socfin as “very understanding and cooperative”.
See press release Below.
Press Release
Malen Youths Development Organization hereby roundly condemn Thursday Jan. 15th 2015 barbaric and inhuman act of violence perpetrated against the Plantation Manager, Mr. Gordon Paterson and the Zone A Manager, Mr. Tanguy Denis, both of Socfin Agricultural Company Sierra Leone Limited, with oil palm plantation located in the Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District. Southern Province.
The two became a subject of gruesome attack when they came under gun firing closed to Bamba village two miles outside Sahn Malen, the Chiefdom Head quarter town on Thursday night between the hours of nine and ten pm while driving onboard company vehicle with registration number AJE 690 shortly after having spearheaded the putting off a fire believed to have been ignited by people yet to be identified by police.
Malen Youths Development Organization view with dismay and shock at the malicious and vicious attack on peaceful workers as an act of vandalism tantamount to calculated and deliberate attempt to put fear into the population and the entire workforce thereby disrupting the smooth operations of the company which has become the major source of employment now put beyond five thousand mostly youths drawn across the country.
The Malen Youths Development Organization further want the entire public to know that they constitutes the only registered true land owners of Malen Chiefdom who are prepare and ready to continue to relate and work together with Socfin Agricultural Company for the benefit of the Chiefdom and its people and Sierra Leone as a whole.
In view of the foregoing Malen Youths Development Organization hereby encourage Government and the Sierra Leone Police to leave no stone unturned but to arrest and bring to book those perpetrators of such a heinous crime which has the potential to cause greater harm to the Chiefdom and the rest of the country.
Having said that Malen Youths Development Organization in turn urges all natives of Malen Chiefdom to join forces with the view of providing reliable and vital information useful to the ongoing police investigations.
Over and above Malen Youths Development Organization want all to know that Socfin Agricultural Company is close to the hearts of peace loving land owners more than ever before and shall continue to live together for the development of all and to help rebuild war torn Pujehun District and Sierra Leone at large.
Lastly Malen Youths Development Organization formerly appeal to all peace loving natives of Malen Chiefdom to be in readiness to help put out fire attacks within and outside the plantation while doing all to help contain the dangerous Ebola outbreak by simply complying with health officers and to observe the protocols in respect of the eradication of the dreadful outbreak.
Long live Socfin Agricultural Company! Long live Malen Youths Development Organization and peace loving natives of Malen Chiefdom!
Read the original article here: www.globaltimes-sl.com