Political Prisoner
Bangura was a magnetic and popular figure. The army was devoted to him and this made him potentially dangerous to Stevens' new agenda in the shifting political climate of Sierra Leone. Bangura was widely considered the only person who could put the brakes on Stevens.
Stevens had campaigned on a platform of socialist principles. However, when he became Prime Minister he abandoned his pre-election promises and employed an authoritarian model of governance. Bangura, an ardent democrat, was greatly disappointed and he criticized Stevens' policies.
Stevens began to cut funds for the army which he saw as a threat to him attaining absolute power. Bangura spoke out against the Stevens regime and was promptly arrested in 1970. He was charged with conspiracy and plotting to commit a coup d'état against the Stevens government.
Read more about this topic: John Amadu Bangura
Famous quotes containing the words political prisoner, political and/or prisoner:
“An inquiry about the attitude towards the release of so-called political prisoners. I should be very sorry to see the United States holding anyone in confinement on account of any opinion that that person might hold. It is a fundamental tenet of our institutions that people have a right to believe what they want to believe and hold such opinions as they want to hold without having to answer to anyone for their private opinion.”
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