Freetown — Eastern region correspondent for Standard Times newspaper based in Kenema is still recuperating from shock and injuries he sustained after he was manhandled by a police officer apparently attached to the resident minister's lodge in Kenema.

Fayia Amara was handcuffed, tied and dragged on his belly by PC 7336 Conteh FS after he attempted to take a snapshot of them while they were smoking cannabis at the Kenema showfield.

"I saw the officer smoking cannabis with his colleague. When he learnt that I wanted to take his picture, he rushed out and clutched me on my neck, handcuffed my hands and tied me up. I called on the regional crime officer to come to my rescue and when the assailants saw the team of police officers on their way all of them ran into the nearby bushes leaving Conteh behind," he said.

Amara disclosed that criminals always converge on the said location to discuss their dubious activities and that he was surprised to have seen a police officer engaged in lawless and illegal activities.

Mohamed Lansana, an eyewitness, explained that the officer was desperate to manhandle the reporter which prevented him from intervening into the matter.

"I don't want to be dragged to the police to make statement that was why I didn't interfere but in deed the officer was wicked to the boy," he said.

Meanwhile, the officer is now in police custody while Amara is attending to medical treatment at the government hospital in Kenema.