Opposition politician Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray has spoken out following reports that a staff member of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Osman Daramy, was caught stealing at his workplace.
In a Facebook post, Kamarainba made it clear that he does not support or excuse theft under any circumstance. However, he urged the public to look beyond the act itself and examine the deeper problems facing many government workers in Sierra Leone.
Kamarainba revealed that Osman Daramy once worked with him as a videographer during his 2018 election campaign. According to him, Daramy travelled across the country covering campaign activities and always conducted himself properly.
“He never stole anything from me,” Kamarainba said, describing him as a decent and disciplined young man during the time they worked together.
While condemning the act at SLBC, Kamarainba pointed to the harsh reality of low wages paid to junior government workers. He described their salaries as shameful, especially at a time when the cost of living continues to rise and many families are struggling to survive.
He reminded the public that only last year, SLBC workers openly complained about poor salaries and difficult working conditions. Those concerns, he said, were never fully addressed.
According to Kamarainba, poverty, desperation, and neglect often push people into actions they would not normally take. He argued that while wrongdoing must be punished, the country must also confront the conditions that make such incidents more common.
“Let’s improve the salaries and working conditions of our lower-rank government workers to prevent these types of disgrace and thievery,” he wrote.
The incident has sparked wider discussion about wages in the public sector and the pressure faced by workers who earn far below what is needed to live with dignity.
Kamarainba’s comments highlight a growing concern among many Sierra Leoneans: that without fair pay and humane working conditions, incidents like this will continue, damaging institutions and lives alike.
