Monrovia – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has charged Cllr. Charles Abdullai with menacing and terroristic threat for allegedly threatening a FrontPage Africa senior reporter Bettie Johnson-Mbayo.
The charged followed a complaint filed by this paper against Cllr. Abdullai last week when Madam Mbayo received a call from two separate numbers.
Mrs. Mbayo alleged that she received calls from unknown persons on mobile numbers 0777529212 and 0881790190 on August 27, 2018 who threatened to assassinate her or kidnap one of her children if she did not stop reporting on their client.
After alerting the police, FrontPageAfrica traced the Orange number to Cllr. Charles Abdullai. When contacted by FPA management on August 28, Cllr. Abduallai admitted calling Bettie and uttering the threats but clarified that he was only joking.
“Those reporters I joke them. You think if I want to do something to you, I’ll tell you? I changed my voice – you know. Tell Bettie I called her okay, I can tease her. If I want to do anything to you, will I call you on my number? Then I wouldn’t be sound,” he told the management of FrontPageAfrica.
But our reporter insists she and Cllr. Abdullai have never engaged in such a joke, and that she finds it awkward that he would choose to joke with her in such a manner.
It can be recalled he Liberia National Police (LNP) wrote the County Attorney for Montserrado County to issue a writ of Subpoena Duces Tecum on Orange and Lonestar Cell GSM Companies to provide a call log between August 22, 2018 to August 28, 2018 on two GSM numbers.
In addition, the LNP demanded the names, addresses, photos, IMEI, and Identification of user(s) of those numbers.
In the communication to the GSM Companies, the LNP, through its Chief Criminal Investigator, G. Alvin James said the police want the information to assist in investigating the alleged terroristic threat case reported by FrontPage Africa’s News Desk Chief, Lennart Dodoo on behalf of Mrs. Mbayo.
The LNP: “The complainant on behalf of the victim express that the threats may impede her ability to a free flow as an independent journalist if the allegation is not addressed appropriately.
“In view of the above, the investigation team is requesting your good office for the issuance of writ of subpoena Duces Tecum on Cellcom and Lonestar GSM companies in order to provide a call log on the above-mentioned GSM numbers as well as names and addresses photos, IMEI, cell ID from August 22, 2018 to August 28, 2018 respectively.”
Cllr. Abdullai is expected to be taken to court Thursday by officers of the LNP.