Monrovia – What should have been a normal Sunday evening for residents of Old Road Community outside Monrovia turned into to violence and panic when a group of men, armed with machetes, stones and clubs as well as firearms attacked the residents and District offices of Rep. Yekeh Kolubah (District #10, Montserrado County), and took away some valuable items.
Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The thugs, according to eyewitnesses’ accounts, attacked the compound as early as 8pm, damaged properties including vehicles, got away with several items including television, computers and mobile phones, among others.
In the wake of the overnight raid, the lawmaker and his supporters have accused the ruling party and its government of masterminding the vandalism and looting.
Rep. Kolubah, speaking to reporters vowed to stand for his citizens and protect his properties as he was tired of the government’s constant attacks against him and his supporters.
“In the face of the police, the people came and attacked my house and threw stones and burnt tires and the police cannot help in the process. The government is using my former securities to attack me. My former securities have been employed by the government at the DEA [Drugs enforcement Agency] and they are using them to lead the attacks against me,” Rep. Kolubah, said.
The incident at the lawmaker’s house and offices has led to huge condemnations from a segment of the public including the Liberia Council of Churches and key opposition figures including Senator Abraham Darius Dillon and the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP).
In a statement issued late Monday evening, the Liberia Council of Churches through its General Secretary, Reverend Christopher Wleh, I, condemned the actions and called on the government to speedily investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“We strongly condemn the violence and the damage carried out by unknown thugs that took away valuable items such as flat screen television, laptop computers and other valuable assets,” the Council denounced.
“The Council calls on National Government through the Liberia National Police to launch a security search of perpetrators of the violence and bring the culprit to justice.”
Further in the statement, the LCC said: “We also call on the LNP to immediately deploy security around the residence and offices of Honorable Kolubah so as to avoid future occurrence of such inhumane act while the investigation is ongoing. The council regrets the humiliation on Honorable Kolubah and all persons that were affected by the thugs’ action”.
“We also call on the LNP to immediately deploy security around the residence and offices of Honorable Kolubah so as to avoid future occurrence of such inhumane act while the investigation is ongoing. The council regrets the humiliation on Honorable Kolubah and all persons that were affected by the thugs’ action”.
– Liberian Council of Churches
Victims, Eyewitnesses Accounts
Although Rep. Kolubah was not physically harmed, the incident on Sunday effected several residents of the area including tenants of Rep. Kolubah.
FrontPageAfrica, visiting the scenes early Monday, observed that several people who claimed to be Rep. Kolubah’s tenants residing in apartments detached from the lawmaker’s house were victimized. The apartments and vehicles were vandalized and looted, while some residents said they were physically attacked and wounded.
“It was dangerous because they were not just after material things. They were after lives because if you see my little brother’s hand, he got a cut because he had to force his way out. You see some of the tools or whatever they were using it was enough to do something to somebody,” explained Arthur Collins, a tenant of the lawmaker.
Collins, explaining his ordeal said he was not at home when the incident occurred but was called by his little brother who stays with him at the apartment.
According to Collins, his brother, Maxwell Jallah, called him between 8p.m. and 9p.m. that the compound was under attack and he was hiding inside the house but the thugs were about to break in as they were banging on the iron doors. He advised him to escape, but in the process, he got wounded badly on his hand. Collins said his brother escaped but the men entered his apartment and got away with valuables including television, laptop and other personal materials worth US$4,000.
“My little brother was telling me on the phone that there were intensive firing and people were coming in and going out of the compound. Live bullets were being fired. They heard firing guns and people were out while they were firing. They broke all the roof,” he said.
Also speaking, Maxwell Jallah, who was caught in the violence could hardly move his hands as he was nursing from the wound sustained, corroborated his elder brother’s account.
Jallah said he was lucky to have escaped as the attackers were determined to harm anyone that came their way. He said following his escape to the neighbors’ compound, the raid lasted for several hours with no police presence.
“The only thing I could remember was the sound of the men outside and damaging the car windshields and firing. Some groups were stopping them from entering, but the people were many and overpowered them. As they damaged the cars, they started to talk about breaking inside and burning the place. At that time, I passed through the ceiling and escaped to my neighbors’ house. All that time, there were no police,” Jallah said
Another tenant, Josephine Gayflor lamented that she had gone to buy her five-year-old son’s food at the super market when her little brother, Jeff called that they were under attacked.
Because her brother could not abandon his little nephew he had hidden under the bed, Ms. Gayflor said he was caught by the gangs and flogged with machetes and clubs.
Like Collins, all of Gayflor’s belongings were either stolen or damage. She said her son, though unharmed, is still shaken but gradually recovering from the trauma.
“They carried one of my TV and damage the one they couldn’t take. They took my money and though I am little confused because I don’t know where to start from this morning, I thank God that my son and little brother are saved,” she said.
Speaking further, Josephine said she strongly believes that the attackers came to Rep. Kolubah but they were caught up in the violence because they reside in his apartments. She expressed fear over their safety planned to leave with her family.
“In the face of the police, the people came and attacked my house and threw stones and burnt tires and the police cannot help in the process. The government is using my former securities to attack me. My former securities have been employed by the government at the DEA and they are using them to lead the attacks against me.”
– Rep. Yekeh Kolubah (Montserrado County, District 10)
Jefferson Koijee Accused, but Aide Denies allegation
Meanwhile, several eye witnesses, speaking to FPA accused the Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson Koijee for masterminding the violence.
But the Communication Officer of the Monrovia City Corporation, Pekeleh Paye Gbuapaye debunked the allegation, saying he Mayor Koijee is a man of peace and could not have been involved in such act.
A resident of the area, only identified as Mark, in his explanation, alleged that Major Koijee, prior to the incident, had attended a ceremony in the Old Road community, near Rep. Koluabah’s residence and was escorted with several aides and supporters.
According to Mark, Major Koijee’s supporters had earlier clashed with some of Rep. Kolubah’s supporters when Koijee was in the area and they promised to return with reinforcement to storm the compound.
When Koijee left, Mark alleged that some of those men that were seen with him went back and carried out the raid.
Said Mark: “They came with Mayor Koijee but decided to fuss with us over the issue of current. But when the police came in the day, they left and promised to come back. We thought they were not serious but to our surprise they came and started throwing stones and shooting all over. They entered in the District office and took away TVs, computers and other things. The ones they could not carry were destroyed.”
Responding, Mr. Gbuapaye said although Major Koijee was in the area to grace a dedicatory ceremony of a market hall constructed by Josephine Davis, the Inspector General of the Ministry of Commerce, he did not participate or instigate any act of violence.
“Maayor Koijee is a victim of mere propaganda or hate by some folks in the opposition because they fear him. So, that’s why everything that comes up, they link him to it. But Major Koijee does not support violence. The major has always condemned violence and he has never participated in any act of violence,” Gbuapaye said.
Where was the Police?
Meanwhile, in the heat of the incident which eye witnesses say lasted for several hours, the police were not at the scene. It was after several hours that the police came.
During the time of the interview, Collins said although he has registered the case the Zone Three Police Station, the police has not returned since the left in the wake of the incident to carry. He said he had expected to police to revisit the scene following the break of dawn to gather pieces of evidence to aid the investigation but they did not.
14 Arrested
On Monday evening, the police announced that they have arrested 14 people who are currently facing investigation in connection to the vandalism.
Those arrested include Chris B. Andison 25 years, Rebecca Williams 32yrs, Mohammed Kromah 41yrs, Kelvin Fahnbuilleh 41yrs Daniel Dukuly 26yrs, Nathan Gueh 27yrs, and Lassana S. Kamara.
Others are: Lincoln Brooks 27yrs, Daniel Boikai 28yrs, Siafa S. Kamara 23 yrs, Michel Myers 20yrs, Alison Zaza 34yrs, Aaron Kollie 33yrs and Paul Geekpain 21yrs.
Most Harassed Lawmakers
Meanwhile, the latest attack against Rep. Kolubah, sheds light on series of harassments he continues to suffer from both pro-Weah supporters and sometimes, state security – something observers have constantly linked to his tough stance and continued verbal and acrimonious attacks against President Weah and his CDC-led government.
One of the most publicized attacks against the Rep. Kolubah occurred at the end of July 2020 in Zwedru, the capital of Grand Gedeh County where a group claiming to be supporters of President Weah, in a bid to drive Rep. Kolubah from Grand Gedeh attacked the lawmaker and Mr. Alexander Cummings who were returning from their tour of the southeast.
Early on July 21, the Deputy Police Inspector, Melvin Sackor ordered Rep. Kolubah arrest after the lawmaker obstructed him from impounding his vehicle on session day.
The Deputy Police Inspector for Operation had argued that the driver of the vehicle was driving on the opposite lane with a single license plate and that could have endangered lives and properties.
But Rep. Kolubah, who was not in the vehicle at the time, later arrived on the scene and insisted that the vehicle would not be impounded. The lawmaker argued that his driver had been running an errand for him so he could prepare for session. He further argued that as a lawmaker, he is backed by law to use the third lane and he is immune to arrest to and from session
The incident led to a sustained standoff between the two officials and huge traffic congestion until Representatives Fonati Koffa of Grand Kru County and Marvin Cole of Bong County intervened.
Rep. Kolubah was also accused of carrying firearm by Police Inspector General Patrick Sudue and the head of the elite presidential security guard service, the Executive Protection Services, Trokon Roberts during the January 7, 2020 anti-government protest inspired by the Council of Patriots. This allegation was, however, not proven by them and the case was trashed before reaching the court.
A Christmas party organized for children of his constituent was also vandalized in late December 2019 by group of people believed to be supporters of the ruling CDC.