“I said, ‘thank God, our lawmaker is here, but he damn mean!’ I never imagined that a simple comment like this could anger him, and put me in jail,” Dolo recounted the chilling incident with Chiewolo that landed him jail.
Bong County Electoral District #5 residents have demanded answers from their Lawmaker, Augustine Chiewolo, the reason he reportedly ‘arrested and jailed one Rooney Dolo.’
Chiewolo, according to the locals, reportedly arrested and jailed Mr. Dolo, having referred to him as a “damn mean man.”
Dolo’s arrest and subsequent detention on Saturday, October 4, 2025, has raised serious questions about the state of democracy in the district.
Dolo recounted the chilling incident: “I said, ‘thank God, our lawmaker is here, but he damn mean.’
I never imagined that a simple comment like this could land me in jail.”
Shortly after the comment, Chiewolo phoned to police officers assigned in Salayea, who arrived at the home of the Representative and reportedly arrested Dolo.
He was later detained for a night; a move, critics say, exposes the Lawmaker willingness to weaponize the state against ordinary citizens. “This is not just an insult to one man; it is an attack on every person in District #5,” said Tarnue Mulbah, upon hearing about the altercation between the lawmaker and Mr. Dolo. “How can we trust a representative, who silences those who speak the truth?” added Korto Tokpah, “We voted for change, instead, we see fear being imposed by the very person we elected to serve us.” The incident fits a disturbing pattern of behavior by Chiewolo, a female resident retorted. In 2024, Rep. Chiewolo reportedly dragged a man (not named) to court over a land dispute. Earlier this year, a nurse at his Faith Clinic, claimed that Chiewolo threatened her with dismissal when she attempted to pursue other opportunities rather than working for the lawmaker. These actions, residents argue, revealed a lawmaker more concerned with protecting his ego than serving his constituents. Repeated attempts to reach Chiewolo’s office for comment were unsuccessful. One staffer told this newspaper that the Lawmaker was not available to talk with reporters. Many now fear that speaking out in District #5 carries personal risk, a grim warning for democracy in the county.
In District #5, residents are of the opinion that fear has now replaced free speech.