ARMY COUP IN SIERRA LEONE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31327, 25 March 1967, Page 13

ARMY COUP IN SIERRA LEONE

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) FREETOWN (Sierra Leone), March 24. Military officers have seized power in Sierra Leone after detaining their former chief, Brigadier David Lansana, and the former Prime Ministers Sir Albert Margai and Siaka Stevens. A group of military officers have set up a “National Reformation Council” headed by Lieutenant-Colonel Ambrose T. Genda, who was last reported to be serving in Sierra Leone s diplomatic mission in New York.

The military takeover came after a week of tension and uncertainty in Freetown after the elections,. the results of which were disputed. The take-over was first announced over the radio by Major Charles Blake, a member of the National Reformation Council. Major Blake said that senior officers of the Sierra Leone Army had overthrown their chief after they had noticed “that the attitude of Brigadier Lansana was not to bring about the creation of a national Government but to impose Sir Albert Margai as the Prime Minister of this country.” “As from this moment, the constitution is suspended, all political parties are dissolved and all political activities are prohibited.” No Bloodshed The first reports said that the group of military officers had overthrown Brigadier Lansana without bloodshed and appeared to be in full control. The deputy chairman of the “National Reformation Council” was named as the police chief, Mr William Leigh. Mr Leigh, who would appear to be the senior member of the council at present, aged 46, had a distinguished record in the Second World War, when he served as a bomber pilot in the Royal Air Force. Major Blake said the council “would hand over to the politicians as soon as the situation becomes favourable.” Sierra Leone appeared earlier this week to be the first African state to change Government constitutionally. But three days after the polling—with the final outcome still unclear —the Army strongman, Brigadier Lan-

sana, moved in and detained Mr Stevens in the State House where he had been called by the Governor-General and sworn in as Prime Minister. The brigadier said that he believed the Governor-Gen-eral was acting unconstitutionally because all the results were not in. Mr Stevens’s supporters

rioted in the streets and at least four people were killed in the violence. They alleged that Brigadier Lansana was working for Sir Albert Morgai. Yesterday, Brigadier Lansana summoned all newly-el-ected members of Parliament to Freetown to try to unravel the situation.