Monrovia – The lawyer of Mr. Menipakei Dumoe, the acting leader of the Council of Patriots (COP), Cllr. Findley Karngar, has stated that his confidence in the Liberia National Police (LNP) has been betrayed. Cllr. Karngar stated that the police and lawyers have a special bond of speaking very clear to the other person when it comes to the arrest or call-in of their client(s) by the police.
“The police had the intention to have had my client arrested and they lied that we were only going for a conference. This was wrong, the police knows. I had told my client not to be afraid because I was told that they had only invited my client for a conference. So he didn’t only eat but really didn’t tell his family,” said Cllr. Karngar.
The COP’s lawyer even though stated that though he is going to continue to represent his client; he, however, insinuated that his client’s confidence in him (Karngar) might not be as usual as he might be seen an accomplice in his arrest.
Speaking to Okay FM’s Julius Jeh Tuesday, May 12, he disclosed that he is considering filing legal action against the police.
The police had the intention to have had my client arrested and they lied that we were only going for a conference. This was wrong, the police knows. I had told my client not to be afraid because I was told that they had only invited my client for a conference. So he didn’t only eat but really didn’t tell his family
Cllr. Findley Karngar
Cllr. Karngar backed Dumoe for speaking metaphorically when he asked for AK 47 to be placed in the hands of poor Liberians so that their leaders can take them seriously.
Asked would he had advised his client to choose different dictions before posting his comment to social media, he answered that his client’s feeling at the time brought out the choice of words he used.
“At this point we are telling the police that all his rights need to be accorded him. He should be accorded the decency; he is a political activist,” he stated.
Mr. Dumoe is the acting leader of the COP, inarguably the leading and most vibrant pressure group on the Liberian government of President George Manneh Weah.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Dumoe’s home had been searched by officers of the LNP.
According to the local Okay FM reporter, who was on the scene at Dumoe’s home when the search and seizure was taking place, said the court sheriff, effecting this court order, had insisted that the FrontPageAfrica’s Editor, Lennart Dodoo, should continue his live coverage of the incident since infact he had began covering the process from the beginning. But the police refused and told Mr. Dodoo to stop and few minutes later, came back and seized his phone.
Also speaking via mobile phone to Jeh, Rep Yekeh Kolubah, a critic of the regime, said everyone fought hard to bring this nation to this peace that it enjoys presently.
“This government has something bad under its sleeves during this time of the State of Emergency,” he stated.
The Montsereado County lawmaker categorically stated that Judge Jomah Jallah of Monrovia City Court was placed in the position as a political judge.
Rep. Kolubah, who is a known critic of regime, also accused the police of being a “partisan police force.” He insisted that even if he is tied to a pickup and dragged, he will remain critical against the government.
This government has something bad under its sleeves during this time of the State of Emergency
Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah
Another, lawmaker, Rep. Samuel Kogar of Nimba County, too, said the police didn’t do well. “The police had cajoled Mr. Dumoe’s lawyer to bringing his client where they arrested him.” According to Rep. Kogar this was wrong on the part of the police.
He also spoke unkindly of the police’s handling of them confiscating the FPA Editor’s phone while he was performing his journalistic duties. Rep. Kogar described their action as “uncivilized.”
Also, Mr. Mo Ali, a senior member of the COP, stated that Dumoe had informed him and others the day before that the police had invited him for a conference.
According to Ali, the police didn’t find anything incriminating when they searched Dumoe’s home.
“Based on the history of Menipakei Dumoe, he hasn’t been involved into any form of violence or have the capacity to carry out any threat against anyone.
“The government has got the right to do what they want to do, but they should respect his rights. They should charge and send him to court,” Ali told Jeh and those listening in radio land.
A friend of Dumoe, Jacob Jallah, who said he had been following from the beginning of the day, stated, “The police absolutely exhibited undemocratic behavior today. The police must be very clear when communicating. Everything the police did was shady.”
Based on the history of Menipakei Dumoe, he hasn’t been involved into any form of violence or have the capacity to carry out any threat against anyone.
Mo Ali, senior official of the Council of Patriots
According to him, Police 102 Melvin Sackor, even seized his phone on grounds that he Jallah was probably taking pictures of police carrying out their operations.
Addressing journalists later, Police Spokesman Moses Carter formally informed everyone that Menipakei Dumoe has been arrested and is in the custody of the police.
He and Deputy Information Minister Eugene Fahngon further stated that the police had confiscated some interesting items from the home of Dumoe.
He added: “This is an active and ongoing investigation, we are not going speak more on it now.”
He read what, according to him, Dumoe had posted on his Facebook page: “We don’t need free bags of rice. I say we the poor in Monrovia need AK47s so our leaders can take us seriously.”
According to him, what Dumoe wrote borders on national security.
Adding, the Police LNP Spokesman said the government is not running after people for posting their comments on social media but won’t allow comments that “threaten national security.”