By Stephen G. Fellajuah
Email fellajuahstepheng@gmail.com
The Liberian National Police has vowed to ensure that any citizen that will engage into jungle justice, mob violence and act that has the propensity to undermine the peace of the country will not go with impunity.
According to the LNP, gone are those days that people should use jungle justice as a way of solving issues, recommending that if Liberians have issues, those issues must be addressed appropriately in line with the rule of law.
Addressing the press on the arrest made by the LNP in connection with those involved with the alleged death of Emergency Response Unit (ERU) officer in Grand Bassa County, spokesman Moses Carter said that anything outside of the rule of law to address situation, their institution will not hesitate but to ensure that those that are involved do not go with impunity.
Carter said that they have had situation in time past where their officers were attacked but they have been able to response to those attacks in appropriate means to ensure that those who attacked their officers face the law.
‘’This is a caveat to the public, if anyone thinks that you can attack a police officer, or officer of the joint security and go with impunity you are making a sad mistake. We will go after you and ensure that you account for your action.
Gone are those days that we should use jungle justice as a way of solving our issues. If we have issues, those issues must be address appropriately in line with the rule of law. And anything outside of the rule of law, our institution will not hesitate but to ensure that those that are involve don’t go with impunity’’ he noted.
Meanwhile, the LNP spokesperson revealed that they have arrested and investigating seven suspects for their alleged involvement into an alleged shooting and murder of an ERU officer identified as James M. Gargio in Grand Bassa County.
He said that the allege shooting incident took place on November 14, 2022, at 8:30 pm while the victim and two community watch forum members had gone to effect an arrest in Block ‘’C’’, New Buchanan, Grand Bassa County when the victim was attacked by the drugs users.
‘’We want to firstly use this medium to express our condolences to the family of our later falling officers of the ERU. He met his untimely death in Buchana, Grand Bassa County. Let peace be to his arches and may his soul rest in peace’’ Carter expressed sympathy.
Spokeman Carter said that LNP have arrested Alberts Blo, 27 years-old Abu Maga, 30 years-old, Prince Harris 27 years-old, Darius Zah 17 years-old, Samuel Thomas 26 years-old, Sarus Bestman 24, years old.
Mr. Carter further indicated that suspects were arrested based on complaint filed by one of the watch forum officers who went with the falling ERU officer to affect the arrest.
He said that officer met his untimely death when him and three members of the Community Watch Forum went to arrest some drugs user on complaint from a citizen of the same address who reported at the station that a group of men smoking drugs on his poach.
During LNP investigation with the community watch forum, they informed their investigators that the corresponding officers came under attacked by those drugs users.
Mr. Carter explained that they were also informed that after the drugs user attacked the officer, they manage to escape the scene and left the officer in the pool of blood to contain the situation.
‘’However, based on the information that reached us, the officer was discovered unconscious in the Peace Community, Grand Bassa, under AML train track bridge on the 15 of November.
The body of the late officer, according to Mr. Carter has been deposited at the Abraham Robert Funeral Home while the suspects are undergoing investigation at LNP headquarter in Monrovia.
‘’Our arrest still continues to ensure that all those that partake in this ugly act are arrested and brought to book. We will make sure they account for their action in facing the full weight of the law. We want to say to the citizenry, we will not hesitate that any citizen that involve with mob violence go with impunity’’ he maintained.
