PHOTO: Some of those arrested and charged
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
PLEEBO, Liberia– Police in the southeastern city of Pleebo, Maryland County have revealed that the total estimated cost of both public and private properties damaged during the recent violent protests in Pleebo and Harper is US$2.3 Million and one million Liberian dollars, respectively.
Angry mob carried out the arson and vandalism in the aftermath of the killing of a motorcyclist, who was a student at the Pleebo high school.
The police have investigated, charged and sent 34 persons who were the main leaders of Riot and destruction of both public and private facilities.
They were sent to court on Thursday, April 8, 2021 and were later transferred to the Zwedru correction palace in Grand Gedeh County awaiting trial, due to the destruction of the prison facility in Harper City, Maryland County.
The 34 men were charged with several crimes ranging from robbery, criminal conspiracy, arson, riot failure to disperse, criminal mischief, obstruction of highways and other public areas as we;; as disorderly conduct.
According to police charge sheet, on April 5,2021, police Investigators arrested defendants Morris Senneh, President of the Pleebo Motorcyclists union as well as other cohorts.
They are: Mamadou Diallo, Edward Toe, Sieh Gray, Edwin Lawal, Salu Ali, Lawrence Jarbee, Wilfred Kuoh, Eugene Koppeh, George Nimely, John Davis, Patrick Wilson, Augustine Navy, Micheal Doblah, Sawo Bedel, Robert Wesseh, Fred Johnny, Peter Bestman,
Others are Moses Toe, Mashel Doloson, Amos Kuma, Joseph Bannie, George Segbeh, Mark Freeman, Michael Tugbeh, Winston Smith, Christopher Dweh Prince Kouh, George Weah and John Collies, Chris Porka and Sham Beyslow.
The police charge sheet further said that the alleged perpetrators were duly informed of their constitutional rights, investigated and duly charged with the commission of multiple crimes named above for leading a group of thugs from the youth and Motorcyclists communities in Pleebo and Harper cities respectively, under the banner of demanding Justice for the death of a motorcyclist Mordacious Nyema, who was killed by another motorcyclist Moses Mlarmah on March 25, 2021.
The charge sheet continues:
The defendants and thugs under their supervisions on March 31,2021,looted the home of speaker Bhoufal Chambers and set same ablaze including a Nissan pickup in the yard.
That the defendants and thugs under their supervisions went at the Pleebo police station at Harper and Pleebo vandalized them and went at the Maryland Central prison situated in Harper City, broke into it and took the living body of pre-trial detainees (defendant Moses Mlarmah) who was detained at that facility awaiting trial for his connection into the murder of motorcyclist Mordacious Nyema.
That the here in defendants having taken into their custody the living body of pre-trial detainees Moses Mlarmah and subsequently released additional ninety-one(91) inmates some of whom were convicted of armed robbery, murder, rape, burglary among others.
After they released defendant Moses Mlarmah, pre-trial detainee, they vandalized and set ablaze the prison compound, which resulted to damages of documents and other government properties within said compound.
Accordingly, the police charge sheet says protesters didn’t seek any authorization from the local authority and other person’s gathered or assembled and blocked major streets, looted both private and public facilities.
Finally, it says that the caretaker (security) at Speaker Chambers house suffered the loss of one million Liberian Dollars and three thousand United States dollars.
The estimated cost of Speaker Chambers’ house, Maryland prison compound, Liberian National Police situated at Pleebo and Harper Cities including the court is estimated at two million, two hundred United States dollars (2,200,000.00USD) and the estimated cost of vehicle damaged by the protesters is about one hundred thousand United States dollars.
The act allegedly committed by the defendants were said to be in violation of Chapter 10,15 and 17; section 10.4, 15.1, 15.5, 15.30, 17.1, 17.3, and 17.7 of the New penal law of the Republic of Liberia.
But some human rights actors in Maryland County have said that the Liberia National Police (LNP) was in violation of tying the defendants’ hands with fresh-tye rather than using handcuffs.
The police used said instrument due to the lack of enough handcuffs.