By Never G. Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- The Magisterial Court at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia on Monday at sent to jail four officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) for negligent homicide in the recent fatal shooting of protesters near 15-Gate on the Monrovia-Kakata highway.
The four officers, who were incarcerated at the Monrovia Central Prison, after being formally charged with negligent homicide, are Emmanuel S. Melikamue age 39, Morris M. Dahn, Josephus M. Lewis and Thompson W. Pobleh.
Residents of the area set
up roadblocks and were protesting against the mysterious deaths of two children
whose bodies were discovered after they had gone missing, when police opened
fire on them.
According to a police charge sheet, on the 24th of June 2019
defendant Emmanuel S. Malikamue was disrobed from the services of the Liberia
National Police, accquainted with his (Miranda) or constitutional rights in the
present of his lawyer, Atty. Bestman D. Juah, public Defender Montserrado
county.
Defendant Malikamue was investigated and charged with the
crime of Negligent Homicide for carelessly causing the death of victim Abraham
Tumay and inflicting serious bodily injuries in persons of Saah Saah and Dave
Mombo, by misusing his assigned service weapon during a violent protest along
the Monrovia-Kakata highway.
The police charge sheet stated that during the course of the
police investigation to establish facts and circumstances which led to the
shooting at Kingville #7 June 24, 2019, it resulted to the injuries of Saah
Saah and Dave Mombo and the death of Abraham Tomay.
Details inquiries as well as accounts from eye witnesses
revealed that two minors identified as Thomas Kollie, age 10 and Elijah Porluma
age 9 were reported missing on Thursday May 30, 2019 and May 31, 2019
respectively and were not seen by their Parents until their decomposed bodies
were discovered at the outskirts of Kingville on 3rd of June, 2019.
Investigation further revealed that the Liberia National
Police launched investigation into the mysterious death of the children and
four persons were brought in as persons of interest.
On the 24th of June 2019, at about 0900hrs, commissioner of
police for Operations received calls from two unknown callers, informing him
about road blocks being setup by some aggrieved citizens of Kingville #7,
Monterrado county along the Monrovia Kakata highway.
Accordingly, the information was confirmed through the Deputy
commissioner of police for Operations (DCP) Robert K. A. Saah(U-109. The road
blocks were mounted by some citizens who were demanding justice for two
children in persons of Thomas Kollie and Elijah Porluma that were missing and
later found dead in the area.
The residents claimed that the police were doing nothing
substantial to bring the perpetrators to justice adding that commissioner Wray
also informed Hon. Marvin M.Sackor, the Deputy Inspector General of police for
Operations (U-102) and DIGP Sackor instructed commissioner Wray to move
the police support Unit (PSU) to the scene in order to remove the road blocks
and create free passage for other peaceful road block.
The police investigation findings revealed that, the total of
six LNP officers were in possession of firearms (C/supt) Philip O. Johnson had
9MM handgun with serial #A097810/348 with a magazine containing 15 (bullets)
rounds; Insp.Morris M. Dahn had 9MM handgun with serial #A 09732, rack #372
with two magazines containing 30 rounds (bullets), while Sgt. Emmanuel S.
Malikamue had AK 56 serial # 07499 and rack #52 with magazine that contained 15
rounds.