A riot broke out in the central prison in Freetown, Sierra Leone, after a new inmate that arrived recently within the prison tested positive for COVID-19.
Mohamed Rahman Swaray, the Minister of Information, disclosed that inmates within the prison set some buildings on fire in protest after the inmates got wind of the information.
The police and security forces were forced to intervene to put an end to the riot.
Swaray disclosed that there were casualties as a result of the riot, although they weren’t sure of the numbers yet.
A resident living close to the prison said that they heard gunshots being fired while the riot was going on and securities had to maintain order around the prison neighborhood to make sure that residents stayed indoors.
A spokesperson of the prison informed the media that a security guard was killed during the riots and about a dozen other security guards and prisoners were also wounded.
Report says that the inmate that tested positive for COVID-19 has been moved to a medical facility for treatment.
Sierra Leone has confirmed a total of 127 cases of the COVID-19 and recorded seven deaths.
