By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- The Liberian National Police has arrested, investigated, charged and sent court several Sierra Leonean nationals linked to a human trafficking ring.
The move comes amidst the Liberian government efforts to step up the fight against the trafficking of persons. This country has been trying to fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking—the requirement for a country to be ranked as Tier 1.”
Ring leader Abu Tommy along with others were on Thursday in the Criminal Court for multiple offenses, ranging from trafficking, theft of property, criminal conspiracy, Criminal Facilitation and criminal Solicitation.
Defendant Tommy was arrested along with accomplices identified as Sullaiman Tommy, Smart Muctaru, Amara Conte, Abraham Sesay, Osman Kamara, Mohammed Bandy and Sheku Conte.
According to police charge sheet, these defendants are all Sierra Leonean national both living in Liberia and Sierra Leone who started trafficking people on ground that they have travelling opportunity to offer to people in Malaysia from June to September this year.
The police charge sheet disclosed that on 7th of October 2021, the special Investigation unit received for investigation the living bodies of defendant Abu Tommy, Co-defendant Sullaiman Tommy, Co-defendant Smart Muctaru, Amra Conte and Sheku Conteh all Sierra Leoneans were arrested and acquainted with their constitutional rights, investigated and charged with the commission of the crimes trafficking in person, theft of property and Criminal Conspiracy.
These acts are in violation of Chapter 15&10, section 15.50 and 10.4.
Co-defendant Amara Conte and Sheku Conte charged with theft of property and criminal conspiracy in violation of Chapter 15&10 sections 15.50 and 10.4 on allegations of working under the Banner of Q-net and using deceptive means to gain the total sum of more than thirty-six thousand United States dollars.
Twenty-seven people who were victimized as the result of their actions were all Sierra Leoneans, and they were recruited under the pretense of facilitating their travel to Malaysia and Dubai, respectively.
But on the contrary, they were brought to Liberia subjecting to involuntary servitude, traveled to Liberia and we’re all hosted in different confinement after collecting money from them individually, before informing them the program was each one should bring qualified to travel to Malaysia or Dubai.
Police Action
Upon receipt of the complaint, Inspector Alex G. Neewray, acting chief of Special investigation unit, constituted a team of investigators headed by Inspection Samuel Y. Wesseh to authenticate the merit threat and the following actions were taken as to writ:
The Special Investigative Unit (SIU) received the initial three defendants along with twenty victims from the zone six police station and the case was booked at the SIU case log.
Written statements were obtained from the victims and defendants upon receipt additional defendants and victims from the zone four deport two, their written statements were obtained likewise a face-to-face conference was held between the two parties victims and defendants.
According to the Police, the team held several meetings with the director of the Anti-human trafficking department of the Ministry of Labor and his team along with delegates from the embassy of Sierra Leone here in Monrovia.