By: Julius Konton
ROBERSPORT, Liberia – Angry residents blocked the main highway in Grand Cape Mount County on Monday, demanding answers from police about a missing man named Roland. Women and family members led the protest, using tires and barricades to shut down the road connecting Robertsport to Monrovia.
The blockade halted all traffic and disrupted commercial activity in the area. This marks the second protest in less than two weeks over Roland’s disappearance. Residents say the case fits an alarming pattern of unresolved missing persons in the county. “We are here again because the government is sleeping on us, but we need answers,” a female protester shouted.
Roland’s family says he has been missing for eight days. Police have provided no concrete information, no confirmed sightings, and no official updates.
“We have been patient. Every time we go to the police commander, he gives us no good response,” the woman said. “Our brother is not a chicken. A human being got missing and there is not even a single trace. This is sad.”
Roland’s case brings the number of recent unresolved missing persons in Grand Cape Mount County to four, according to relatives. In at least three prior incidents, victims vanished and never turned up. Family members say investigations either stalled or ended only with reports of death. “Which investigation without a trace up to now?” another relative asked. “We heard death news from previous cases, but we refuse to accept that. We want our brother alive.”
Local police say investigations continue but have released no details, citing operational sensitivity. The silence fuels suspicion among family members, who accuse officers of poor communication and possible negligence. Protesters also allege that police arrested suspects connected to the case but have provided no updates on interrogations or evidence.
“If it happens to me today, it might happen to someone else tomorrow,” one protester warned. “This is not one person’s cry; it is everyone’s cry.” Liberia’s law enforcement system struggles with investigative capacity outside Monrovia. A 2024 security sector review found that nearly 62% of rural criminal investigations remain unresolved after six months due to limited manpower and tools.
The protest stopped public transportation, motorbike traffic, and commercial deliveries between Robertsport and Monrovia. Grand Cape Mount depends heavily on road transport for trade and cross-border commerce.
Witnesses said the blockade remained tense but peaceful as of press time. Community elders and local officials tried to negotiate with the demonstrators.
Human rights advocates say recurring unresolved disappearances risk eroding public trust in state institutions and could trigger wider unrest if authorities do not act. Roland’s family says the matter remains personal. “Let someone tell me how my brother left this city,” his sister cried. “Let someone tell me what happened. Today is today. No one leaves Robertsport until we get answers.”
