Monrovia – Unity Party former representative candidate, Cornelia Kruah-Togbah has denied Police Inspector General Patrick Sudue’s assertions that she is not cooperating with the ongoing investigation over the November 17, 2018 election violence.
Mrs. Togbah also raised concern over the police’s failure to include Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Koijee in the ongoing investigation.
Mrs. Kruah-Togbah and Koijee were at the center of a fracas while she was running as a Representative candidate on the Unity Party’s ticket in the November 2018 by-election.
The election was intended to get a replacement for former Representative Saah Joseph following his election as Senator of Montserrado County.
The incident on that fateful date turned bloody as the UP candidate and supporters accused the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) supporters led by Jefferson Koijee, CDC Youth League Chairman of attacking them (UP candidate and supporters) with machetes, stones, clubs and other weapons.
In the wake of the incident, there have been claims and counter claims as each party blames the other for instigating the violence. Koijee has distanced himself from the brawl and the police have failed to launch an independent investigation into the matter.
However, Police Inspector- General, Patrick Subdue, appearing on a local radio station, stated that the Unity Party’s Candidate, Cornelia Kruah-Togba has failed to honor several invitations by the LNP, and when she appeared, she failed to give a written statement because she said she was not in her right state of mind.
But Mrs. Kruah-Togba has debunked Inspector General Sudue’s assertions, clarifying that at no time she refused to give a written statement.
In a communication to the LNP’s boss, a copy in FPA’s possession, Mrs. Kruah-Togbah explained that she, along with her lawyers attended several invitations by the LNP, but on many occasions, the police did not show up.
After several attempts, she narrated that a meeting was finally arranged by Deputy Police Inspector General, Prince Mulbah and attended by her, along with two other witnesses.
During the meeting, she explained that they were asked to give oral accounts of what happened and they did. Four hours later, they were asked to give a written account, something she said they couldn’t because she had an engagement to attend.
Said Mrs. Kruah-Togbah: “After providing the oral statements, we were asked to reduce to writing at which time, we informed them that we did not have the time to do a written statement after we had spent about four hours at the headquarters and were asked to provide oral statements each, which we did. We had other businesses to attend to.”
“At no time did I inform you or your team that I was not in the right state of mind to make statements as was suggested by you during your recent radio appearances,” she wrote.
Is Police Shielding Mayor Koijee from being investigated?
Mrs. Cornelia Kruah-Togba, in her communication to the Police Inspector General, raised concerns over why the LNP has not invited Jefferson Koijee as it has done to her and John Weah, who was the CDC candidate during the by-election.
She stated that although Mr. Weah was the CDC candidate during the polls, he is not a major party to the incident, but Jefferson Koijee.
She wrote: “I went along with two (2) witnesses and Atty. Miller Catakaw. After about 1.5 hours of waiting and going from one office to another, in order to find the appropriate person responsible for the investigation, we met with you in your staff’s office and you raised the same issue of us not honoring your invitation, which I then clarified. You also mentioned that the other party, Mr. John J. Weah had refused to honor your invitation as well. Upon hearing that, I clarified that Mr. Weah was not a party to the incident but rather Mr. Jefferson Koijee, who led the thugs that disrupted my campaign launch and brutalized my supporters. A clarity, that I want to believe was not accepted by you or your team as you continued, even during the taking of our statements, to name Mr. John J. Weah as a party and not Mr. Jefferson Koijee.”
When called for response, the LNP’s Spokesperson, person, Moses Cater could not be reached as his phone rang with no answer.