By G Bennie Bravo Johnson, I.
The family of the late Ali Sheriff, a 30-year-old truck driver allegedly killed during a police scuffle in Bardnesville in 2021, is demanding that the Government of Liberia reopen the case, claiming that justice has been denied for far too long.
Speaking to reporters, family spokesperson Mr. Mohammed Sheriff said that since the incident occurred, there has been no tangible outcome from the police investigation. He stressed that the family believes Ali died as a result of unnatural force allegedly inflicted by police officers, and that the absence of accountability undermines the justice system in Liberia.
According to the family, the incident occurred in July 2021 near the headquarters of the National Transit Authority in Bardnesville, where police officers reportedly attempted to arrest Ali after seizing his vehicle. During the encounter, Ali was allegedly struck in the back of the neck, leading to fatal injuries.
Mr. Sheriff accused the previous administration of President George Weah of suppressing vital evidence that could have determined the outcome of the case. He also blamed former Minister of Internal Affairs Varney Sirleaf and his deputy Luseni Bility for allegedly influencing the direction of the investigation.
In September 2021, the Ministry of Justice, following an autopsy, confirmed that Ali Sheriff died an unnatural death caused by blunt force trauma to the back of the head. The family maintains that Ali was assaulted by police officers after he attempted to intervene in the release of his impounded vehicle.
They insist that those responsible must be held accountable. “We want this government to recall our case. Those police officers who beat our son should account for his death,” a family member stated in frustration, calling on the current administration and Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman to take swift action.
