Heavy-Duty Truck Worth $400,000 Goes Missing at Freetown City Council

Councillors at the Freetown City Council (FCC) have raised serious concerns over the disappearance of a heavy-duty truck donated by the Japanese government, alleging interference, lack of accountability and growing tension between the Council and its Chief Administrator.

The concerns were made public during council deliberations, where councillors linked the missing vehicle to what they described as ongoing administrative challenges within the FCC.

According to Councillor Emile B. Turay, Chairman of the Council’s Committee on Transport and Street Parking, the heavy-duty truck, valued at over US$400,000, was secured through support from the Japanese government to assist with city cleaning operations.

Turay said the vehicle had significantly improved sanitation efforts in Freetown and reduced the Council’s reliance on outsourced services. However, when his committee attempted to verify the truck’s condition and location at the Council’s works compound, they were informed by the engineer in charge of the garage that the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) had towed the vehicle away.