The Grand Jury of Montserrado County through the Criminal Court ‘A’ on Monday August 15, 2022 indicted CDC-COP executive members Ben B. Togbah and his accomplices in connection with the July 26 independence Day celebration violence at the United States Embassy which lead to the injuring of several member of the Students Unification Party, a students based group at the University of Liberia.
The defendants are Ben B. Togbah , Abdurrahman Barry, Aaron K.Chea, Foday N. Massaquoi, Jushua S. Karrr , Pokar S. Roberts , Kendrick C. Pelenah and others to be identified committed the crime of Criminal Attempts to Commit Murder, Aggravated Assault and Criminal Conspiracy, Felony of second degree.
According to the indictment, on July 26, the official celebration of Liberia’s One Hundred and Seventy (175) Independent day celebration was underway, some students of the University of Liberia’s campus based political party named and styled Student Unification Party (SUP) gathered before the foothold of the Benson Street side of the Embassy of the United States of America to protest under the banner “Fix the Country “.
The defendants are Ben B. Togbah , Abdurrahman Barry, Aaron K.Chea, Foday N. Massaquoi, Jushua S. Karrr , Pokar S. Roberts , Kendrick C. Pelenah and others to be identified committed the crime of Criminal Attempts to Commit Murder, Aggravated Assault and Criminal Conspiracy, Felony of second degree.
According to the indictment, on July 26, the official celebration of Liberia’s One Hundred and Seventy (175) Independent day celebration was underway, some students of the University of Liberia’s campus based political party named and styled Student Unification Party (SUP) gathered before the foothold of the Benson Street side of the Embassy of the United States of America to protest under the banner “Fix the Country “.
The indictment revealed that while the Students were encamped on Benson Street side of the Embassy , purportedly to present their petition to the American government through its Embassy, the defendants purposely, willfully, knowingly, wickedly intentionally, criminally and violently, under subterfuge of “ Coalition for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots (CDC-COP) emerged within the same vicinity to provide a counter protest under their banner, President Weah is fixing the country “ at the same time thanking the president for the level of work in the country.”
Also the indictment established that the defendants had earlier organized the self-styled group; directly or indirectly planned and executed the counter protest “reasonably believing” to counter the planned protest organized by the Students that was slated to be held on July 26, purportedly to present a petition to the US Embassy near Monrovia.
The indictment further that the rampaging CDC-COP protesters went after the SUP protesters into the nearby communities and captured one of SUP protesters, in person of students Christopher Sivvili , stripped him naked and tortured him thereby causing him to bleed profusely from his nose and mouth.
The indictment explained that the defendants have no affirmative defense and acted in concert when they conspired to carry out the criminal act , adding that the act of defendants is contrary to 4LCLR. Title 26, section 10.1(1)(4), 4 CFR,Title 26, section 2.2(b) and 4LCLR , Title 26, section 1.7 (p) of the penal law.
