PHOTO: Joe T. Carmooun, a Margibi civil society leader
By Moses M. Tokpah, mosesmtokpah@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- The National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) Margibi Chapter has condemned the alleged murdering of a disadvantaged youth in Kakata City, Margibi County on Monday.
The condemnation comes days after 21-year-old Rufus P. Fomgbeh, alias “Satisfy” was allegedly shot by officer Joseph K. Kollie of the Liberia National Police while raiding a criminal hideout.
His lifeless body was taken to the headquarters of the Liberia National Police (LNP) Margibi Detachment by one of his colleagues.
Minutes after, several disadvantaged youths (his colleagues) went on a rampage throwing stones at the police station and at the same time threatening to burn down the facility.
The disadvantaged youths overwhelmed the police, thus causing them to have abandon the police station for safety.
The group then took charge of the police station thereby looting and vandalizing the facility, and releasing detainees who were in the police withholding cell for various crimes they allegedly committed.
Due to delay from the re-enforcement team requested for by the former Commissioner of Police, Sylvester Hina and the intensity of the situation, members of the Armed Forces of Liberia who were en route to Bong made a stop to calm down situation.
The team stayed on ground untill PSU and Deputy Police Inspector, Melvin Sackor arrived on the scene.
The deceased was then taken to the Tube Funeral Home as the alleged perpetrator was taken to Central for investigation.
And the National Civil Society Council of Liberia being an advocacy group on Wednesday, June 15, 2022 condemned the situation and call for justice.
Mr. Joe T. Carmooun, a member of the Council reading the press statement on behalf of the group said the rights to life is one of the several fundamental rights which every person must continue to enjoy no matter their status in society.
He said firing live bullet at an unarmed citizen is a violation of the Geneva Convention of 1949, the United Nation Congress of 1990 on the prevention of crimes and protection of offenders and the use of force and firearms by Law Enforcement Officers.
“As CSOs, we vehemently and furiously condemn such barbaric act conducted by person who should be protection lives and properties, and want to call on authorities of the LNP to speedily act in accordance with the Laws and set penalty actions that will serve as deterrent for future violators,” he added.
Mr. Carmooun said while it is true that the police action was a violation of a citizen’s right, the Council also frowns and stands against the behavior of disgruntled individuals who went on looting and disbanding the police station with some seen with containers of gasoline intended to burn down the only police station.
He continued: “We say no to and also condemn such violent and distructive intentions of any citizen who got involved”.
The Civil Society representative used the occasion to thank the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) of the Liberia National Police and the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) whose prompt intervention according to him, brought calm to the city.
Mr. Carmooun also lauded Cyrus Idea Konah whose relationship with the protesting youths he added brought calm and caused them to abandone their intention of burning down the Kakata Police Station.
The Council has at the same time appealed to the ‘consciences’ of everyone that their dissatisfaction cannot and will never be resolved through violence means.
NCSCL admonished the citizens to try to live and act in the confine of the laws of the country indicating that this will make them a strong, peaceful and civilized nation while they press forward for the infrastructure development.
In a related development, the Council says its attention has been drawn to the alleged kidnapper of a 10-month old baby by an unknown man which occurred on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 in Kakata causing caring women and mothers to go disarray in agony to help retrieve the child from that demon; the kidnapper.
It can be recalled that a little girl only identified as Favor was allegedly kidnapped by an unknown man in Kakata recently, but narrowly escaped death after she was being intercepted and rescued by a lady identified as Miracle Tokpah.
But the Civil Society Council in its press statement said such form of human rights violation will continue to persist among Liberians as long as they have leaders who are not in public service for the common people, rather for personal gains while leaving their employers living in unwonted and insecure environments.