Monrovia – A man, who was stripped naked by two soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia and made to parade the main streets of Gbarnga in February this year, has filed a US$1.3 Million lawsuit against the Ministries of Defense and Justice.
Report by Kennedy Yangian, [email protected]
Dakai Woods’ lawsuit under the caption, “Action for damage for wrong to person” was filed at the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Bong County with hearing set to begin during the August 2020 Term of Court.
The lawsuit named the Ministry of Defense by and thru the Minister, Daniel Dee Zlankahn and Chief of Staff Prince C. Johnson as first Defendants and Justice Minister Cllr. Frank Musa Dean as second Defendant.
Woods added in his complaint that on February 22, 2020, he appeared at the police station in Totota, Bong County as an executive member of the county’s motorcyclist to probe an alleged stolen motorcycle situation.
While the investigation was ongoing, Woods said, two officers of the AFL – Musa Keita and Jugbe Peters – ordered him to get into their military vehicle and warned him that if he refused their orders, he will be beaten. He alleged that he was later dragged and forcibly thrown into AFL assigned vehicle.
He recalled that when he was taken to Gbarnga adjacent the Paulma Guest House, the two soldiers ordered him to undress himself threatening that he will be stabbed to death if he refuses.
Upon the soldiers’ order for fear of his life, Woods said he undressed himself and was forced out of the car and ordered to parade the streets naked while the soldiers walked behind him with knives in the presence of a large crowd.
According to the victim, while parading naked he was intercepted by the Police Commander of Bong County who query the soldiers about their wrongful act against him.
Woods stated further that the action of the soldiers have caused the mother of his two minor children to abandoned him and the children are now in the care of their grandmother.
Woods claims he was forced to leave his home in Totota and moved to a remote village because of shame, and that a video of him walking in the streets naked had went viral, thereby causing his emotional pains.
Woods is now seeking compensatory damages of US$500,000.00 for psychological and mental anguish, general damages of US$300,000.00 because he is unable to work due to the mental anguish, and special damage of US$50,000.00 for monetary loss suffered.
He is also seeking the defendant to pay a punitive damage of US$ 250,000.00 for the wrongful act and aggravated damage of US$250,000.00 for the tortious conduct he was subjected to.