Liberian Police Has Sent Him To Court On Criminal Charges, After A Health Officer Was Brutalized Allegedly On His Orders
But Rep. Cole Denies Any Responsibility
PHOTO: (L-R) The wounded OIC, Alison Kollie being treated in hospital and Rep. Marvin Cole
By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- Police in Bong County have charged and sent to court the controversial Bong County electoral district #3 Representative Josiah Marvin Cole for allegedly ordering the severe beating of a local Health official.
Eight other people, some of whom are working in the Lawmaker’s office, have also been charged and sent to court for allegedly assaulting the Officer-In-Charge (OIC) at the Gbonota Clinic in Sanoyea District, Mr. Alison Kollie.
According to the police charge sheet, Rep. Cole was charged with Criminal Facilitation, Criminal Conspiracy, and Physical Obstruction of Government function.
Another victim of the alleged assault at the time was Mr. Joseph Binda.
Joseph Binda
The charges against Rep. Cole were finalized on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, the latest in a number of physical assault claims the Bong County CDC Lawmaker has been linked to in recent years.
On the latest incident involving the flogging of the Health Official, the Bong County Rep. recently denied ordering OIC Kollie’s flogging in an interview with a private radio in Monrovia, OK FM.
The Police named the eight individuals as C. Tarwoe Walonfah, Hannah N. Kermue, Amanda Flomo, Alex M. Snowe, Willimena Willie.
Others include; Justine Bedell, Jr., Togbah Matthew, and Junior Sackie, security to Hon. Cole is charged with Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Riot, Physical Obstruction of Government Function, Menacing, Theft of Property, Criminal Conspiracy, and Disorderly Conduct.
The charges are framed under various sections of the new Penal Law of Liberia.
Background
It can be recorded, that during the heat of the November 14, 2023 presidential runoff campaign, the chairlady of the Unity Party Mrs. Martha Morris and her JNB campaign team were touring Menequelleh Clan, later made a brief stop in Gbonota.
Upon their stoppage for campaign, it was further alleged that the Chairlady of CDC in the area identified as Hannah Kermue phoned Representative Josiah Marvin Cole that Mrs. Morris is reportedly campaigning at the health facility; something that later witnessed the arrival of Mr. Cole.
The scene was later chaotic with the Gbonota OIC, Mr. Alison Kollie, being reportedly beaten and later hospitalized at JFK.
Since the incident, many residents of the county have demanded proper investigation into the matter.
Simultaneously, reports have indicated that some aggrieved residents of the district gathering signatures to impeach him.
Beating record?
Earlier, Journalist Bettie M’bayo and her husband, Dr. Moses M’bayo accused Representative Cole of ordering thugs to beat them.
They later presented torn clothes and bruises on their bodies as evidences to the court.
Months later, Mr. Joseph Binda, a local pastor in the Plum Valley community here in Gbarnga openly accused Rep. Josiah Marvin Cole of ordering his followers to flog him.
Mr. Binda is on record of telling journalists that he was stopped from erecting a house on a land he purchased within the community that the lawmaker lives in.
“The lawmaker sent his boys to flog me using shovels and other things as you can see the blood on me. See my clothes. I have already informed the police it”.
The district#3 lawmaker later denied involvement.
Days after his denial, he held a political rally at his office in Gbarnga where he admitted of “flogging the demon out of him”.
“Certain devil doesn’t rebuke, but flogging. When the children took market to the Temple to sell, what did Jesus do; He scattered it and beat the devil out of them. Let le [the] road here, this is where I can pass with my car. He’s building right on the road. I was seeing Satan through him. He came to tempt me! Take the rotten and beat the devil out of him. That isn’t able to come again” the CDC lawmaker is on record.
The court case is yet to be assigned for hearing.