MONROVIA – The commander of the pressure group Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL), Emmanuel Gonquoi, and three of his deputies, have spent their first night behind bars at the Monrovia Central Prison.
Gonquoi and his accomplices were incarcerated after they failed to file their criminal appearance bond to secure their release.
They were sent to prison on Monday, August 9, 2021, by Monrovia City Court Judge Jomah S. Jallah for the alleged commission of the crimes of Terroristic Threats, Simple Assault, Felonious Restraint and Disorderly Conducts.
They were arrested and incarcerated on a writ of arrest issued out of the court (Monrovia City Court) for the alleged commission of multiple crimes.
The writ of arrest was issued on defendant Gonquoi and his accomplices on Friday, August 6, 2021.
The arrest order grew out of a complaint filed to the Monrovia City Court against the defendants by the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice.
In the complaint, the government alleged that Co-Defendant Gonquoi and others went on the premises of the Capitol Building in Monrovia and violently attacked security officers who were on duty, where they allegedly beat and inflicted wounds and injuries on them.
The writ of arrest also mentioned that defendant Gonquoi and his accomplices further went on and intentionally broke the lock on the gate and installed their own chains.
“The alleged act of the defendants being unlawful, wicked, illegal, violent and intentional is in violation of sections 11.16 of the Amended Act, section 14.21 and 17.3 of the new Penal Law of Liberia there and then the crimes the defendants did and commit,” the writ of arrest added.
Some members of the EFFL early Monday morning gathered at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia to respond to the court arrest order against their leader.
The EFFL Commander-In-Chief speaking minutes after he presented himself to the Monrovia City Court for questioning said their actions were in defense of justice over the governance of the state by the CDC-led government.
Gonquoi further explained that since the ascendency of the Weah Administration, there have been many unusual happenings.
He recounted the deaths of the WAEC’s staff, Auditors, and the alleged killing of a truck conductor by officers of the Liberia National Police.
According to Gonquoi, he doesn’t regret his actions but expressed sadness for being locked behind bars for speaking the truth.
