MONROVIA – Mr. Mo Ali, the Secretary General of the Unity Party who was declared wanted by the Liberia National Police (LNP) last Friday has been given another 48 hours by the police to defend another Facebook post pulled out by the police when he showed up on Monday under heavy escort by all the leaders of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties and about 10 lawyers.
Ali was invited by the Police last Thursday via an SMS that requested his presence at the Police headquarters on Friday for a conversation surrounding his March 1 Facebook post in which he wrote: “Dear National Elections Commission (NEC), we understand the ploy. But try it and you will see what is gonna be the end result”.
The police expressed in their invitation to Mr. Ali that consequent to his post, “we have noticed incidents of petrol bombs thrown at the residence of associate Justice, Joseph Nagbe and the headquarters of NEC respectively, leaving properties damaged.”
The Police added, “In view of the herein, couple with the task assigned thereon to us to protect life and property, it is prudent sir, that we have a conversation with you regarding the motive and intend of your post. God bless our native land as we together endeavors to protect the peace. Schedule date for your appearance is Friday, March 19 2021 @ 10:00 AM”.
However, Ali’s lawyers on last Friday wrote the Police informing them that due to his ill health, he would rather attend to their invitation on Monday, March 22 – something which provoked the police to declare him a wanted man.
The Unity Party and the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) took exception to the Police declaration.
Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence told reporters at the LNP Headquarters that the declaration by the LNP that Mr. Ali is wanted poses threat to his life.
“We are very concern as CPP leaders, and I am sure the people of Liberia are concern, because if you declared one of our citizens wanted, it is a threat on his life. Anything could have happened, and so, that is why we have come,” Senator Lawrence said.
Senator Lawrence said Mr. Ali is not a wanted man any longer as declared by the LNP, but noted that his team of lawyers are prepared to engaged in the legal proceedings thereof.
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica, Ali said upon their arrival at the police headquarters, the police introduced another Facebook post from him that they claimed also needed interrogation.
The post which was made on March 4 states, “I don’t believe in the integrity of the Supreme Court. Most of the justices there have been corrupted. Justice Nagbe is a hardcore tribalist.”
“The police brought up another post I did on Facebook in which I said Justice Nagbe is a hardcore tribalist, and they have a long list of questions they wanted me to answer so my lawyers appealed for time to consult with me over the post since they weren’t aware of it and we were granted 48 hours,” he said.
Meanwhile, Police Spokesman Moses Carter said the decision to declare Ali “wanted” was as a result of his refusal to show up despite being invited twice by the police – an allegation which Ali refutes.
According to Carter, lawyers representing Ali appealed to have discussion with him (Ali) and bring him back at the LNP Headquarters on Thursday, March 25, for further interrogation.
Carter further stated that declaring Ali a wanted man was not geared at witch-hunting anyone or silencing free speech, but aimed at protecting life and property.
“The LNP was constrained to declare Mr. Ali wanted because his statement poses a security threat. The Constitution calls for free speech, but you must be liable for the consequences thereof,” Carter said.
But Unity Party, in a release on Saturday, March 20, termed Carter’s assertion as a ‘lie’ and clarified that Ali was only invited by the police once via a text message, adding that the government cannot declare Ali “wanted” for failure to submit to their invitation when in fact he was represented by his lawyers.
The actions by the government to declare Ali “wanted” without being charged with any crime is a violation of his rights and endangers him and his family, according to the party.
In its release, the Unity Party (UP) stated that the decision by the Liberia National Police (LNP) declaring its secretary general Mo Ali “wanted” over a Facebook post is an attempt to intimidate dissenting voices in the country.