KAKATA, Margibi – An organized citizen protest in Kingsville Township Number 7, in District #1 Rural Montserrado County Monday went brutal when the citizens blocked the Kakata-Redlight highway in demand of justice over the mysterious killing of two minors in the area.
Report by Emmanuel Degleh, Contributor
The residents blocked the road for the second time in less than three weeks demanding government’s attention to their plight but the scene turned bloody when an LNP/PSU riot police officer discharged several rounds of live bullets in a bid to disperse the protestors.
In an attempt to disperse the angry protestors, the Police allegedly shot three persons with live bullets, killing one instantly while two others are under critical medical condition.
The police, however, said the three persons were injured from the petrol bombs and other deadly weapons like steel rod used by the protestors to resist the police attempt to remove the roadblocks and illegal checkpoints.
“I was right here, when the PSU people started shooting we all decided to run, he was sitting down roasting corn so when the [police] man was coming he decided to run, while running the man decided to fire at his back at his head, that’s how he fell. When he fell; when he fell, we all ran on the other side, then the other PSU man fired the boy on his foot. The boy that was shot on his head died on the spot.” – Patricia Flomo, Eyewitness
The police, however, said it would launch an investigation into reports of shooting and ensure that any officer culpable faces the full weight of the law.
The police said two officers, namely: Insp. Morris Dahn, and Sgt. Gbornimah Barmabia sustained head and leg injuries
Abraham Temah, 18, was reportedly shortly from the back of his head. He was not part of the protest. He was roasting corn while tried escaping when he saw the armed police officers advancing towards where he was selling his corn.
“I was right here, when the PSU people started shooting we all decided to run, he was sitting down roasting corn so when the [police] man was coming he decided to run, while running the man decided to fire at his back at his head, that’s how he fell. When he fell; when he fell, we all ran on the other side, then the other PSU man fired the boy on his foot. The boy that was shot on his head died on the spot,” Patricia Flomo, an eyewitness told reporters on the scene.
According to report, the kids Thomas Kollie, 11 and Elijah Kpolumah age 10 both of the Kingsville community went missing May 30 and 31, respectively and their mutilated bodies were discovered with body parts extracted.
The Victim Abraham Teemah, Shirt
According to the residents, the police forensic team intervened and conducted an autopsy when the bodies were discovered. Subsequently, four men were arrested in connection to the kids mysterious deaths.
To the dismay of the residents, the four men arrested as persons interest in the mysterious killings were released without any information to the community from the Police and the local authorities of the county.
Joseph Tamba one of the local youth leaders making remarks during a brief Palava meeting with police said the government through the Liberian National Police has been insensitive to their plight.
“The people were arrested among hundreds of people for being linked to the crime but they were freed and we want to know why the police freed them,” Tamba added.
John Dolo, a resident of Kingsville #7, said their action was prompted by the release of the four alleged perpetrators who are boasting that nothing would come out of the accusation against them, a situation that prompted their action to stage a road block in order to demand justice.
Several empty shells of AK-47 empty bullets reportedly discharged the police were found as well broken pieces of bones and stain of blood were observed on the scene of the protest.
Authorities of the Liberia National Police who visited the scene on Monday afternoon have called on the aggrieved community residents to remain calm promising that investigation would be launched to bring officers connected to the reported shooting to justice.