Monrovia — The administration of the S. D. The School System has sharply reacted to reports on social media that the school allegedly ordered the arrest and handcuffing of one of its graduates during the just ended commencement and closing program.
BY OBEDIAH JOHNSON
Located in Virginia Township, district 17, Montserrado County, the school has been providing academic and other opportunities to hundreds of Liberians at a reasonable cost to parents and guardians.
On Monday, a video displaying the image of a recent graduate Grace B. Jlateh being handcuffed and escorted by a court Sheriff and few family members went viral on social media.
The report claimed that the student was arrested based upon the alleged order of the school Proprietor Papa Corneh for refusing to pay US$10 as balance for her graduation fees and the return of her gown given to her by the school for the graduation.
But in a statement issued in Monrovia under the signature of the school’s Proprietor, Mr. Papa Corneh, on Wednesday, September 24, the administration termed the reports as false, misleading and baseless.
The school pointed out that it is constrained to provide the necessary clarity to these unfounded and diabolical allegations which are only intended to tarnish the reputation of the institution and its owner in particular.
“We want to clarify that at no time did Mr. Corneh or any instructor of our school order the arrest or handcuffing of any student as being perceived in the public.”
Narrating the incident, the school administration pointed out that prior to the graduation on Saturday, September 21, Grace B. Jlateh received all of her souvenirs and was asked to deposit the amount of US$10 as collateral for the return of her gown belonging to the school, and upon the return, said money would be given back to her.
The administration disclosed that student Grace later vacated the school premises with her souvenirs, but returned minutes later along with her sisters and violently and disrespectfully pushed open the office of the school Principal in a violent manner requesting for the gown.
According to the administration, the sole intent of student Grace to storm the school campus with her sisters was to cause disturbance, rain invectives and assault the school authorities.
“She came along with her sisters with the intent of fighting me in my office and the two sisters rain insults at me and my parents and threatened to disturb the graduation. Their allegation is far from the truth,” Principal Corneh stated.
The school maintained that following the threat issued to disrupt the graduation, its Principal decided to go to the court to seek legal redress as parents and the school administration had already spent thousands of United States dollars for the holding of the graduation program and to put a smile on the faces of the children.
The school pointed out that the Sheriff from the court later arrived and requested its Principal to identify the individuals who the writ was issued against.
Student Grace B. Jlateh was reported to be wearing a short sleeve white blouse along with a lappa walking to buy something when she was identified along with her sisters by Principal Corneh at their home.
The administration emphasized that Principal Corneh hurriedly departed and went back on campus to prepare for the graduation program which was fast approaching based upon the order of the Sheriff.
While on the campus awaiting for the start of the program, the school pointed out that, its Principal was astonished by the noise from outside of the school fence, and hurriedly came out of the fence to only noticed that student Grace has already been handcuffed by the Sheriff unknown to him and the other school authorities.
It noted that though Principal Corneh demanded the Sheriff to remove the cuff off the hands of student Grace on grounds that she didn’t do anything of great magnitude to be handcuffed on her graduation day, the Sheriff who went on the scene to effectuate the court action refused to comply.
Out of frustration, the school added that Principal Corneh later informed the Sheriff that if they cannot remove the cuff from the hands of his student, he declined to go any further with the case.
The school noted that the two sisters of student Grace were the ones who were allegedly raining invectives and threatened to disturb the graduation and as such, they should have been the ones to be invited at the court.
The school emphasized that despite numerous appeals for the Sheriff to remove the cuff from the hands of student Grace, the Sheriff declined based upon the intense pressure from Grace’s sisters and mother for them to be taken to the court.
“This Janga P. Jallah and the other Sisters also said that they will make sure to spoil the good image of the school and that is what they are doing,” Mr. Corneh emphasized.
The school emphasized that though it does not intend to be in the news for the wrong reason, it regrets any previous actions which triggered the incident.
According to the school, negative social media reports on the incident are a smear campaign being instigated by detractors and propagandists who are fronting for others to demean its image.
It disclosed that the administration of the school, especially Principal Corneh, has been providing assistance in tuition to student Grace and several others over the past years.
Meanwhile, the school has called on media institutions and others to always verify information or reports before publishing or jumping to conclusions.
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