PHOTO: Mo Ali (in the middle with dark glasses) outside the Liberia National Police HQ before being put behind bars
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
The CDC government of President George Manneh Weah now has a political prisoner in jail.
Contrary to what was said by the Liberian leader George Weah in his fourth annual message that his administration had no record of political prisoners being in jail, this record has now been broken, with the jailing of the opposition Unity Party’s Secretary General Mo Ali on Thursday, March 25, 2021 over Facebook posts considered to be threatening national security.
Mr. Ali was charged with several crimes, ranging from Arson, terroristic threat, criminal attempt to commit murder, armed robbery among others, And the opposition politician is due to be sent to court shortly..
Last May, the former acting Chairman of the Council of Patriot, Menipakai Dumoe was also put in jail over a Facebook post he made in which he said Liberian need A-47 and not bag of Rice.
Now, Mr. Ali who is currently in police cell for Facebook posts he made both on March 1 and 4, 2021.
The opposition Unity Party National Secretary General Mo Ali has been jailed at headquarters of the Liberian National police for several charges on a Facebook post made on both March 1 and 4, 2021.
Political prisoners are people who usually have opposing views on issues.
On Monday, March 22, 2021, the opposition Unity Party executives and some supporters of the CPP escorted Mr. Ali to police headquarters on Capitol Hill in Monrovia for questioning over his Facebook posts.
He was declared wanted by the Police on March 19, 2021, after he failed to appear. But his Lawyer claimed at that time that his client was ill, after assuring the police authority that his client was on his way.
Due to nature of the matter, a team of lawyers representing Mr. Ali asked for two days in order to study the nature of the post of their client especially when Justice Joseph N. Nagbe home Petro Bond attack was added when it was not the topic of discussion.
Speaking to Journalists, Unity Party Chairman Amin Modad said the rights of Mo Ali was totally violated by the George Weah CDC government.
UP Chairman Modad on the grounds of the LNP HQ
Mr. Modad explained that upon their arrival in the morning hours, a questionnaire was given to Ali to answer something he did after which the police insisted that they have an additional questions for Mr. Ali to answer but they couldn’t give those additional questions
After spending more than one hours without producing the additional questionnaire, police authority went in a meeting and returned with several charges but prior to that they were being surrounded by more than hundred armed police officers in the conference room where the Investigation was taking place.
And their movement were seized and they were being intimidated and the worst of all Mr. Ali was being prevented from eating.
According to the Unity Party Chairman, Mr. Ali was been charged verbally and not written charged and Mr. Ali is expected to spend two days in jail.
The UP chairman described the action carried out by police as improper, predetermined and premeditated to have his party Stalwart subjected to Investigation rather than invitation.
Mr. Modad narrated that it is an abused of human rights and meant to silent the critical voices of Opposition and alleged that there are several elements within the ruling CDC Party who have written some destructive statement on their various Facebook platforms and pages, but none has been called for questioning.
He added that the post of Mr. Ali is not criminal for which he should be jail for but all is happening to silent the voices of Opposition figures and their actions are political.
For his part, one of his lawyers representing Mr. Ali, Cllr. Findley Y. Kangar said the action of the Weah led government is clear manifestation to silent opposition community.
According to Cllr. Kangar those charges named above was been drew by top authority of the executive to satisfy their desires
He said those posts by Mr. Ali are all adjective and it never harm to any of the parties mentioned.
The human rights lawyer Kangar claimed that the Justice Minister is on record of saying that in was in the Senate for the Kru people which is a complete tribal statement.
Later in the evening hours, Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean ordered the release of Mo Ali with immediate effect but a call from above could not allow Mr/ Ali to be released.