PHOTO: (L-R) Jethro Harris (holding bottle of water) and ANC leader, Alexander Cummings (in brown and black shirt)
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- As police charged and forwarded to court an official of the youth wing of the opposition Alternative National Congress on Monday, ANC’s political leader, Alexander Cummings called on Judicial actors to separate politics from the Rule of Law
The Temple of Justice, seat of the Liberian Judiciary was a place of attraction early Monday morning, when ANC youth wing assistant secretary, Jethro S.K. Harris was charged and sent to court and in no time sent to jail, after a weekend of investigation by the Liberia National Police.
The ANC Youth wing official was sent to jail a minutes after he arrived at the Court, while others facing capital offenses were on the bench.
Defendant Harris was escorted to jail by armed police officers and President George Weah’s elite force, Executive Protection Service personnel.
While being taken to court from the police headquarters, Mr. Harris was escorted by some members of his party who were behind him chanting battle cry.
But it later turned bitter when police officers began manhandling the ANC supporter, arresting four of them for chanting battle cry and refusal to leave to court grounds.
Charges against Harris
According to police charge sheet, Defendant Jethro S.K. Harris on Friday, September 24, 2021, posted on his Facebook page the photo of the late Rolisa N. Gbeintor, a Liberian and alumnae of the Len Miller high school in Sinkor, Monrovia.
The charge sheet added that the defendant also attached closer to the late Rolisa N. Gbeintor photo a graphic photo insinuating that said graphic photo was the body of Rolisa N. Gbeintor who he claimed parts were extracted from her body.
In his post, the ANC youth wing official alarmed that young people in Liberia are dying mysteriously.
The crime he is charged with is a misdemeanor and it is a bailable offense under Liberian law.
ANC leader Cummings’ reaction
The political leader of the ANC, Alexander Cummings has said that the crime his youth wing official is charged with is a misdemeanor and Mr. Harris should not have been taken to jail if the crime charged is a bailable.
Mr. Cummings told journalists that his assistant youth wing secretary was expressing his right to freedom of expression and the Judiciary Branch of government should not be a place of politics.
According to ANC leader, in the worst case scenario, if his youth wing assistant secretary was found guilty, he could be fined but not to quickly send Mr. Harris to jail.
Mr. Cummings added that the arrest of the ANC Youth wing assistant secretary was political, whereas Mr. Harris’ bail was being processed when he was sent to jail.
He said if Liberia is a place of law, let the leaders of the current CDC government allow the Judges to interpret the laws and stop interfering into the judicial system.
Mr. Cumming further narrated that if Liberia is to move forward, let politics be separated from the Rule of Law especially if Liberia is yearning for investors.
Meanwhile, the ANC leader has said despite his youth wing assistant secretary being rushed to jail, his party will follow the rule of law, no matter how it is.
Police action taken
Given the above Facebook post, the Liberia National police, which statutory duty is to protect life and property, said it initiated an investigation to establish the veracity of the post. And the below actions were taken.
On Thursday, September 30,2021, Defendant Harris was invited by the LNP for questioning but didn’t turn out citing that he was in Ganta, Nimba County.
The defendant was asked as to the authencity of his post in particular the death of Rolisa N. Gbeintor including allegation of mysterious death with young people of Liberia being victims.
Also a team of LNP officers headed by assisant commissioner, Alphonso A. Paypay, headed to Nimba County and on Friday, October 1, 2021, and arrested defendant Harris for spreading false information to the Liberian public and the world at large thus committing the crime False public Alarm.
In cognizance of article twenty-one(21B) of the 1986 constitution of Liberia, defendant Harris was informed of his Miranda rights (constitutional rights).
Police charge sheet said, at the result of his unfounded post, fear griped followers and other residents that read the post and persons to whom the followers of the post told the story of the alleged mysterious death in Liberia and the alleged murdered of the late Rolisa N. Gbeintor. In furtherance of his post, some Liberians and national residing within our borders circulated information that the country was not safe using defendant Harris Facebook post, dated September 27,2021, as reliance.
Finding of the investigation
“Investigation established that Rolisa N. Gbeintor got sick for a protracted period and subsequently died.
That defendant Harris willingly, purposely, and intentionally did the Facebook post so as to buttress falsehood already being circulated by some persons to be identified that the Country is unsafe.
That defendant Harris post which didn’t have any Iota of truth is also intended to put some of our citizens and persons residing within our borders against the National security apparatus, scare away investors and some persons intending to travel to Liberia.
That defendant Harris initiated or circulated a report or writing knowing that the report or writing is baseless or false and that it is likely to cause public inconvenience or alarm.
That defendant Harris post, which is established to be unfounded, is also intended to create economy hardship closing down their businesses and the country stall movement of peaceful persons who intend to move at the given of their chosen.”