Kakata – Representative Gonpue L. Kargon’s official vehicle Tuesday morning reportedly killed a commercial motorcyclist in a road accident on the Suakoko Highway in Kakata City, Margibi County.
Reported by Yawah Y. Jaivey, Contributor
According to eyewitnesses, the Nimba County Electoral District# 4 Representative was en route to Monrovia from Nimba County for regular Tuesday session when his Toyota Highlander vehicle with plate marked REP-57 collided with the commercial motorcyclist in the vicinity of Doe’s Palace Community junction.
Eyewitnesses gripped with sorrow told reporters that the late motorcyclist identified as Elijah Korkorlee had just gotten on the road from the Doe Palace’s junction side of the street when the speeding vehicle conveying the Nimba County Lawmaker bumped into him.
Following the accident, Rep. Kargon along with his driver hurriedly escaped the
scene due to fear of reprisal from other motorcyclists and passersby.
They then reported the incident to the traffic division of the Liberia National Police (LNP) at the Margibi County Police Detachment in Kakata where his vehicle has been impounded.
The late Motorcyclist was then taken to the Charles Henry Rennie Memorial referral Hospital in Kakata where he was pronounced dead upon arrival by doctors on call.
At the same time, family members and motorcyclists in the county have expressed deep regret over what they termed the ‘untimely’ demise of their son and colleague.
They admonished the Liberia National Police to conduct a fair and speedy probe into the accident.
Meanwhile, Police in Margibi County have disclosed to journalists that the driver of the Nimba County Representative, whom identity has been withheld, is currently in its custody undergoing preliminary probe.
Up to press time, there has been no official comment from Representative Kargon on the accident as he departed Margibi County to continue his journey to Monrovia.
At the same time, the lawmaker’s SUV is not carrying a third party vehicle insurance registration sticker. The insurance sticker is usually placed on the front windshield of all vehicles but when our reporter checked he couldn’t see one.
Traffic police officers investigating the accident say they have not seen any insurance document in the vehicle and they could not determine whether or not the Nimba County lawmaker had insured his vehicle prior to the accident.
This comes as a joint task force comprising officials of the Liberia National Police and the Ministry of Transport conduct a rigorous vehicle inspection exercise across Monrovia and other cities. The exercise, the government says, is to generate revenue and deter road users that are evading taxes. But it is also being criticized as some allege that the process only targets some vehicle owners while big shots are allowed to evade taxes.