This Wednesday morning, tragedy struck within the Presidential Guard at Freetown International Airport. The commander of the airport unit, Moses Kabba , was killed by one of his subordinates, identified as Corporal Steven , following an argument over money given to the guards by the Vice President.

According to witnesses, Corporal Steven accused Commander Kabba of withholding part of the funds allocated as an allowance usually distributed to officers during official trips. The verbal altercation quickly escalated into an armed confrontation, and the corporal opened fire on his superior.

This type of practice—paying money to members of the guard during presidential or vice-presidential trips—is common in Sierra Leone. However, several sources claim that the distribution of these funds is not always equitable, which has reportedly caused persistent internal tensions. According to some reports, the vice-president gave bonuses to the guard upon his return from a trip to Angola the previous day, but these sums, according to the corporal, were not properly distributed.

After the shooting, the suspected corporal fled. Security forces immediately launched a search, and he is currently being actively sought. No arrests have yet been announced.

Authorities have launched an investigation to shed light on the exact circumstances of the shooting, as well as the informal practices surrounding the distribution of these bonuses. No official statement has been released to date, maintaining uncertainty about the corporal's true motives and the possible involvement of an internal network of corruption or favoritism.

This tragic event highlights the risks associated with internal dysfunctions within the security forces, as well as the need for rigorous oversight of informal financial practices in units responsible for protecting high-ranking officials. In a country where transparency and discipline are already fragile, this tragedy could lead to significant reforms.

The public and the victims' families are now awaiting the conclusions of the investigation. The initial findings are crucial to restoring trust in the security institutions and preventing further abuses.