By Hawa Dauda
Mogbwemo Queens Football Club has lodged an urgent complaint with the Sierra Leone Police over allegations that police officers sexually and physically assaulted one of the club’s players and physically assaulted another at a checkpoint in Bo.
The complaint, dated August 13, 2026, was submitted to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Southern Region, through Kanu & Associates, acting on behalf of the club and its player, Nadi Quade.
According to the complaint, the alleged incident occurred at a police checkpoint along the Freetown axis in Bo at approximately 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, involving Quade and Hassan Kamara.
Quade, a Guinea-Bissau national and member of the Mogbwemo Queens squad, is currently preparing with the team to represent Sierra Leone in the WAFU Zone A CAF Women’s Champions League qualifiers in The Gambia. The letter states that she was returning from Freetown, where she had received medical treatment in preparation for the tournament, when the incident allegedly occurred.
According to Quade’s account contained in the legal complaint, what began as a routine checkpoint stop escalated into alleged unwanted sexual touching, physical assault and the use of pepper spray by police officers.
The complaint alleges that one of the officers touched Quade’s breast without her consent. When she objected and asked him to stop, the officer allegedly touched her breast again and made a sexually suggestive remark. Quade reportedly removed the officer’s hand, after which he allegedly slapped her.
The lawyers further allege that the situation escalated when members of the club’s medical team attempted to intervene. According to the complaint, four police officers physically restrained Quade, repeatedly slapped her and discharged pepper spray against her. A medical officer and a passerby who reportedly attempted to intervene were also allegedly assaulted.
Kanu & Associates described the allegations as extremely serious, arguing that, if established, the conduct could amount to an abuse of police authority as well as sexual misconduct and physical assault.
The law firm has called for an immediate, impartial and transparent investigation into the incident.
Among its demands, the firm wants the Sierra Leone Police to identify all officers who were present and allegedly involved, obtain statements from Quade and other witnesses, preserve relevant police records and checkpoint logs, and protect Quade and witnesses from intimidation or retaliation.
The lawyers are also calling for appropriate criminal and disciplinary investigations into the alleged conduct and measures to prevent any implicated officer from interfering with the investigation or intimidating witnesses.