– LNP arrests 7 persons in connection to the death of ERU officer in Bassa
By G. Bennie Bravo Johnson
The Liberian National Police have said they will make sure that people who take part in “jungle justice,” “mob violence,” or other actions that could upset the peace of the country won’t get away with it.
According to the LNP, gone are those days when we should use jungle justice as a way of solving our issues, recommending that if we have issues, those issues must be addressed appropriately in line with the rule of law.
Moses Carter, the spokesman for the LNP, told the press about the arrests made in connection with the alleged death of an Emergency Response Unit (ERU) officer in Grand Bassa County. He said that if anything other than the rule of law is used to deal with the situation, the LNP will not hesitate to make sure that the people involved do not get away with it.
He said that their officers have been attacked in the past, but they were able to respond in the right way to make sure that the people who attacked their officers didn’t get away with it.
This is a caveat to the public: if anyone thinks that you can attack a police officer or an officer of joint security and go with impunity, you are making a sad mistake. We will go after you and ensure that you account for your action.
Gone are the days when we could solve our problems through jungle justice. If we have issues, those issues must be addressed appropriately in line with the rule of law. “And anything outside of the rule of law, our institution will not hesitate to ensure that those involved do not go free,” he added.
A spokesperson for the LNP said that seven people have been arrested and are being questioned about whether they were involved in the shooting and death of an ERU officer named James M. Gargio in Grand Bassa County.
He said that the alleged shooting incident took place on November 14, 2022, at 8:30 p.m., while the victim and two community watch forum members had gone to effect an arrest in Block “C,” New Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, when the victim was attacked by the drug users.
Mr. Carter said that the officer and some members of the Community Watch Forum went to make an arrest after a resident said that drug users were taking drugs on his porch.
We would like to start by sending our condolences to the families of our ERU officers who have died. He met his untimely death in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County. “May his arches be at peace, and his soul rests in peace.” Carter expressed his sympathy.
He said that they have arrested Albert Blo, 27 years old; Abu Maga, 30 years old; Prince Harris, 27 years old; Darius Zah, 17 years old; Samuel Thomas, 26 years old; and Sarus Bestman, 24 years old.
Mr. Carter also said that the suspects were arrested because of a complaint made by one of the watch forum officers, who went with the falling ERU officer to make the arrest.
He said that officer met his untimely death when he and three other members of the Community Watch Forum went to arrest some drug users on a complaint from a citizen of the same address who reported at the station that a group of men was smoking drugs on his porch.
He said that during their investigation with the community watch forum, they told their investigators that drug users had attacked the officers in question.
Mr. Carter said that they had also been told that after the drug user attacked the officer, they got away and left the officeR in the pool of blood to keep the situation under control.
“However, based on the information that has reached us, the officer was discovered unconscious in the Peace Community, Grand Bassa, under the AML train track bridge on November 15.
He disclosed that the body of the late officer has been deposited at the Abraham Robert Funeral Home while the suspects are under investigation at LNP headquarters in Monrovia.
“We continue to make arrests to make sure that everyone who takes part in this horrible act is caught and brought to justice.”We will make sure they account for their actions by facing the full weight of the law. “We want to say to the citizenry that we will not hesitate to let any citizen involved in mob violence go with impunity,” he concluded.
