Over The Killing Of A Motorcyclist
PHOTO: Big Joe Town only Police station is on fire following motorcyclist’s death
By King Brown, sawahking@gmail.com
BUCHANAN, Liberia– Angry crowd have set ablaze a police station and checkpoint ablaze in Big Joe Town Community outside the Grand Bassa County’s capita over the alleged killing of a 28-year-old motorcyclist in the area.
The victim’s name is yet to be given, but the angry mob said that nothing has been done to bring to justice the perpetrator (s) of the alleged murder of the motorcyclist to justice.
This latest violence in Grand Bassa County comes just days after mob violence took place in the southeastern Grand Gedeh County.
The incident reportedly happened on Thursday, December 7, at about 8pm after a heated argument ensued between the bike rider and police officers assigned at the checkpoint.
According to eyewitnesses, when the cyclist approached the security checkpoint, he was allegedly denied by them from crossing without stating any violation he had committed.
The deceased was on his way to compound #3 in electoral district four, Grand Bassa County which is little over three hours’ drive away from Buchanan city due to deplorable road conditions.
The onlookers stated following the verbal clashes between the two parties, the bike rider decided to forcefully cross the gate at which time he allegedly lost steering control and collided with a truck on the opposite lane, something that led to his untimely death.
They alleged that his head and other parts of his body got severely wounded while under the truck, leading to his death.
Following the mob accusation, the only police station including a checkpoint providing security for over 5000 residents of Big Joe Town Community outside Buchanan was set on fire Thursday, December 7, at about 8pm.
It was gathered that the police ran away from an angry mob after the police station was set on fire.
However, nobody has been arrested in connection with the incident nor the local county administration headed by Superintendent Eddie Williams or the Police Commander of the County Williams Johnson has not made any public statement since the incident.
St. John River police depot this same year gutted fire following the death of a motorcyclist Justine Davis
In January this year, angry youths in Grand Bassa County set ablaze the only police depot at St. John River bridge in electoral district two in retaliation to a cyclist who allegedly drowned after a brief scuffle with some officers of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
The late Justine Davis was accused by officers of the Drug Enforcement Agency for being in possession of narcotic substances.
The angry mob also attempted to damage the police checkpoint in Big Joe Town outside Buchanan
Since then, the police depot has not been rebuilt and the local residents of St. John City have been raising concerns over insecurity due to the lack of police presence in their area. Some of the police officers who begged not to be named told our reporter that they will not take on any assignment in that area unless the police depot is rebuilt.