PHOTO: One of the victims after the alleged flogging
The case against a Liberian female Journalist, Mrs. Bettie Johnson-Mbayo and her Medical Doctor husband, Dr. Moses M’bayo over alleged assault on order of Bong County Representative, Marvin Cole, has now claimed the attention of the Liberia Medical and Dental Association (LMDA).
In a statement dated January 22, 2022 and signed by the LMDA President, Dr. Albertha Clark-Kollie described the alleged act by the Lawmaker as “distasteful and callous”.
Just as report emerged allegedly the beating of Journalist Bettie Johnson-Mbayo and her husband along a school principal, allegedly on orders of Rep. Cole, a writ of arrest for the trio was issued by the Paynesville City Magisterial Court based on complaint from the Lawmaker.
The report said on Saturday evening, Journalist Bettie Johnson-Mbayo’s spouse Dr. Moses Mbayo along with the principal of St. Simon Baptist school were ordered beaten by Bong County representative Marvin Cole.
Below is full text of the LMDA’s statement:
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE INCIDENCE BETWEEN DR. MOSES MBAYO AND REPRESENTATIVE MARVIN COLE
Members of the press, members of other professional bodies, fellow citizens, ladies and gentlemen.
The Liberia Medical and Dental Association (LMDA) wishes to inform the press and general public that it condemns in the strongest of terms the unlawful, distasteful and callous act of Representative Marvin Cole of District #3, Bong County on Saturday, January 15, 2022 ordering his men to physically assault one of our highly respectable members in person of Dr. Moses Mbayo resulting in bodily injuries.
As the largest professional body of medical doctors and dentists across Liberia whose responsibilities include but not limited to seeking the welfare of our members, we are obliged to take a stance in supporting our colleague having gained adequate insight into what transpired between the two parties.
It has been reported and corroborated from multiple reliable sources that Rep. Cole on the day of the incidence ordered some men to physically assault Dr. Mbayo and his wife, and deflate the tyres of their vehicle over a rather trivial matter which involved the doctor parking his vehicle in the alley and beside the representative’s fence.
As an association, we see this as a great affront meted against our colleague and consider it an absolute display of ABUSE OF POWER. We believe that this is a gross violation of human rights and under no circumstance should anyone, let alone a peaceful citizen and professional be subjected to such humiliation and brutal physical abuse with total disregard for the rule of law.
It is clearly evident that the representative used his affluence at the police station to influence the initial investigation by dictating who provided statement or not among those of his people actively involved in the incidence.
He has taken the matter to court in spite of the physical and psychological wounds he already inflicted on our colleague in an attempt to further demonstrate his authority, although the affected doctor was the initial complainant who invited the police to the scene. Page 2 of 2 Let us make it unequivocal
Let us make it unequivocally clear that the Liberia Medical and Dental Association stands by Dr. Mbayo and will ensure that justice is served as the matter is already in court. Our involvement in this matter as an association remains 100% apolitical, and is intended to repulse the frequent acts of leaders who abuse the rights of peaceful citizens and use their connections to go with impunity.
We assure our professional colleague and the public that this matter will not be taken lightly and that we are sending a resounding message that doctors as professionals remain law abiding and as such will at no point in time be taken for granted or intimidated. We have communicated with all the relevant institutions of government and other human right agencies, and demand that the representative be brought to book and be made to face the full weight of the law for this hideous act against a peaceful and law abiding professional. We will be in full representation as doctors to provide our colleague the needed support in the courtroom and throughout the legal proceedings. Thank you.”
But a writ from the Magisterial court based on the Lawmaker’s complaint dated January 17, 2022 charged the trio with “Felonious Constraint and Terroristic threat”.
See writ