Kakata — Police in Kakata are investigating a local resident for allegedly purchasing a truckload of crushed rock intended for the ongoing street pavement project in the city.
Bless Habakkuk was arrested Wednesday morning following a tip from a concerned resident of Green Hill community. The resident reported that Habakkuk allegedly bought the materials from men believed to be workers of East International, a subcontractor for Praise Glory Lawal (PGL) Construction Company, which is implementing the road project through the Ministry of Public Works.
Habakkuk is currently in police custody as investigators seek to determine how and from whom he obtained the crushed rock, which is meant exclusively for the street pavement project in Kakata.
His arrest came less than a day after the Ministry of Public Works' resident engineer, Zuannah Fahnbulleh, raised concerns that crushed rock was being stockpiled suspiciously along the Vai Town-Mandingo Quarter stretch of the project area.
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Fahnbulleh said community residents near the Vai Town Market reported seeing unknown men in a pickup truck late at night loading rocks from the roadside. The men reportedly fled the scene when they realized they had been spotted.
Fahnbulleh warned that if such incidents continue, the ministry may be forced to suspend the project until proper measures are implemented to secure construction materials.
Several Kakata residents have condemned the act, calling it unwholesome and demanding strict legal action to deter what they described as "enemies of development."
Former Margibi County Superintendent John Buway also weighed in, urging the county administration to hold regular consultations with community leaders. He emphasized the need for locals to take ownership of the project to prevent theft and discourage people from buying stolen construction materials.
