The Inquirer (Monrovia)
4 April 2008
Monrovia — Students from four student organizations in the country with the Liberian Children Parliament have issued a strong worded statement in which they have made a number of recommendations to the government among which is a call on the Liberian leader to dismiss the Solicitor General of Liberia, Cllr. Tiawon Gongoloe.
The students, under the banner of the "National Students Intellectual Council of Liberia (NASICOL)", said in the most definite terms of commitment requested for the immediate coroner jury report that will establish the cause of death over the remains of the late Augustine Golortor.
The students appealed to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to order the prompt removal of the body of the late Augustine Golortor from the Phebe Hospital morgue and that of the remains of the Little Alvin Davies from the John F. Kennedy Hospital, so as to prevent what they called, further decomposition of their corpses.
The students added: "That it is clear that the continued involvement of the Solicitor General Tiawon Gongoloe to create shield for wrongdoers have created a level of comfort for perpetrators and distrust from the public. Information received on this case, again, revealed that the Solicitor General has emerged as an obstacle in the case of Augustine Golotor. We remain resolute and unchanging in calling for the immediate resignation of Cllr. Tiawon Gongoloe so that the image of this government can be preserved."
They called on the government to arrest those connected to the death on Gorlortor and that separate autopsy be performed on their bodies to determine the cause of their deaths so as to pave the way for the pressing of charges of these connected to these deaths.
The students also called for the prompt investigation into the death of the late Vawue Kesselee, a 13-year old student who was recently found dead in Zorzor District, in Lofa County.
They alleged in the statement that the Police Commander of Bong County has remained a source of impediment as his unwillingness to ask for justice based on his relationship with Cllr. Gongoloe, something which they said has resulted to the prevalence of the uninvestigated and gruesome murders in the area of his assignment. They alleged that the Bong County police chief ordered the severe flogging of all witnesses who identified the perpetrator, an actions, which they noted directly led to the death of Augustine Golortor.
They said if Cllr. Gongoloe and the Bong County Police Commander remain the 'bad apples' to destroy the meaningful work of the government, then their pled is for the President to dismiss them.
The students groups that issued the statement were, the National Students Intellectual Council of Liberia represented by Jefferson T. Koijee; Bong Student Union represented by Victor Flomo; Lofa Youth Development Association represented by Thomas Sarko,Jr. and the Liberian Children's Parliament represented by J. Emmanuel W. Bropleh Jr.
But when Solicitor General Cllr. Tiawon Gongoloe was contacted on the students' claim, he said the reaction from the students, clearly shows that much needs to be done to educate the public on the legal process of the country. He said there are procedures to be followed especially for a felonies crime like murder.
Cllr. Gongoloe said in such cases, there is a need to observe the rights of others so that innocent people can not be punished stressing that under the legal system, while it is true that it is the duty of the solicitor general or the to prosecute, it is also the state' responsibility to ensure justice for others under the law.
According to him he has not done anything contrary to the law or the ethics of the legal profession stressing that even if should he engage into anything contrary to his practice, no one needs to tell him to resign, he will rather do so himself.
He said as head of the various county attorneys operating in the country, he has to respect their work and rely on the information they would provide him adding, "we can not arrest people because of public sentiment."
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