Monrovia – It’s been more than a decade since the guns went silent in Liberia. The country has made tremendous effort with the help of the international community to maintain the peace.
Liberia has gone on to elect the first female President in Africa.
Two of its distinguished citizens, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Madam Leymah Gbowee received Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for their role in fostering and maintaining peace in Liberia.
For many Liberians, life is normal. They are no longer being terrorized like the way it used to be during the civil war.
The presence of men in uniform like the Security on Duty (SOD) Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU), etc. in the streets and the communities terrorizing people is now history.
Also to many, the unlawful killings and mysterious disappearance of people are now in the past. They are now enjoying peace.
But for some, it seems that the guns are still visible. They are still victims of similar terror.
So it is with the family of the late Stephen Borbor, a 29-year-old man who was allegedly killed in cold blood by members of the Liberia National Police on February 27, 2016 in Mount Barclay, few kilometers away from Monrovia.
According to the deceased’s mother, Tenneh Bettie, her son had gone with his friends in the early morning hours on that fateful day to mine sand from a nearby community to sell and buy food for his family.
Tenneh said it was not too long after her son left the house before he was shot in the neck twice by Police who were carried to the Mount Barclay rubber farm by the owner of the farm.
She explained that her son died three days later at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital in Monrovia after doctor advised that he be flown abroad for advanced medical treatment, something she said did not happen due to lack of money.
“The doctor told us to take Stephen to Ghana for treatment within 72 hours because he was in critical condition, but there was no money to underwrite the expenses,” Tenneh said.
Speaking to FrontPage Africa recently at her residence in Mount Barclay, Tenneh explained that the Police took responsibility of the burial ceremony and promised to bring the perpetrator to justice.
She also claimed that the Liberia National Police, under the administration of former Police Inspector General Chris Massaquoi, promised to support the late Steven Borbor’s family including his wife (Amelia Borbor) and two children (Dede Borbor, 7, and Hanna Borbor, 3).
However, they are yet to receive any form of support, she said.
“After they refused to take my son to Ghana for treatment, they buried him after he died,” she said.
“The Police,” Tenneh continue, “came with their band and buried him, and promised us that they will take care of the children, but since that time they have not come back.”
When contacted, Police Spokesman Sam Collins acknowledged the killing, but said the Police did not make any commitment to support the victim’s family.
“If the Police made any commitment to take care of the deceased’s children, that is not to my knowledge.
All I remember is we [the Police] told the family members that the perpetrators will be brought to book; which we did,” he noted.
He said all those who were behind the shooting were disrobed from the Liberia National Police, charged them with manslaughter and sent to them to court for persecution.
Meanwhile, Tenneh is calling on President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and humanitarian organizations to come to her aid in catering to her two grandchildren.
“I am not able to bring him back because he is dead and gone,” Tenneh said in tears.
“But I am begging Ma Ellen and the entire government to help me take care of the children,” she intoned.
Also speaking to FrontPage Africa, the deceased’s sister, Hanna Borbor, said the untimely death of her brother was adversely affecting her family.
“Life is very hard for us now. The kids are no longer in school, and I cannot focus on my school again,” Hannah said.
“This is because Stephen was the bread winner of our family. And since he died, I am now taking care of the family.
My life is not the same anymore,” Hannah lamented.
For his part, James Macaulay, a family friend, accused the Police of not doing enough to bring the perpetrators to book.
He alleged that one of the perpetrators, whom he identified as Victor Moore, is living his life freely.
According to Macaulay, some unscrupulous Police officers are often used as private security by privileged people to terrorize the poor and underprivileged.
“We are not satisfied with the action of the Police. They refused to persecute all those behind the killing of Stephen,” Macaulay said.
“One of them, Victor Moore,” he alleged, “is living freely at his Old Road residence.”
“I am calling on the Liberia National Police to make them pay for what they did,” Macaulay said.
However, Police Spokesman Sam Collins refuted Macaulay’s claims. He said appropriate actions were taken against all those (names not disclosed) behind the shooting.
“They were disrobed, charged with manslaughter and sent to court for persecution. If they are set free, that is not to my knowledge.
But the crime of manslaughter is a bailable offence; so they may be on bail,” Collins added.
Gerald C. Koinyeneh-0880881540/[email protected]