allAfrica.com: Liberia: In New Kru Town - Residents Detest Armed Robbery Activities (Page 1 of 1)

Normal activities in the borough of New Kru Town came to an abrupt standstill for several hours on Saturday morning when some angry residents of the area, in their number stormed the New Kru Town Magistrate Court demanding police and court authorities to turn over to them a notorious criminal who was apprehended by the police and later turned over to the court for prosecution.

The incident, which later degenerated into violence, forced several residents to flee for their dear lives while shops and business centers in the area were also forced to shut down their doors to customers, when residents began to throw missile and other objects at the court and security officers in demand of the suspected criminal.

As a result of the incident commercial and private vehicles could hardly ply the main street leading from Point Four junction to the New Kru Town Police Depot.

According to police sources who spoke to this paper, the suspect identified as Raymond Kallor, was arrested by the officers of the LPRC Security Detachment on the Bushrod Island site of the company and later turned over to the LNP.

According to police sources, Raymond is a notorious gang leader of a well-organized criminal gang syndicate who is feared by residents in the New Kru Town community for his ruthless behavior and activities in organizing armed robbery incidents.

Police sources said Raymond, along with a colleague identified only as "Mike Tyson," were together on Sunday night before his arrest.

According to our police sources, Raymond and "Mike Tyson," had earlier stormed the Clara Town community, where they armed-robbed some peaceful residents.

Our source said the two men were however, pursued by a vigilante group in the Clara Town Community, forcing them to flee from the area to the LPRC site where the police later arrested Raymond.

Our police sources said the vigilante group managed in the process to apprehend "Mike Tyson," and angry residents reportedly mobbed him to death after his arrest, while Raymond managed to enter the compound of the LPRC, where the security forces of the company reportedly arrested him.

According to our sources, the LPRC police then called in the police to take delivery of Raymond, who was desperately needed by the angry residents who also wanted to mob him to death.

Our sources said it was in the process that the police led by the Commander of the Zone One Police Depot, moved to the area to get hold of Raymond, whom the police had earlier declared a wanted man.

Police sources further hinted this paper that after Raymond was turned over to the police by the LPRC security officers, he was later taken to the Slip Way Police Depot but when the residents heard that he was there, attempts were made to get him away from the police.

Our sources said it was in the process that the police from Zone One Depot, which had taken him to the Slipway Depot, immediately returned with the aim of averting the planned act of the residents. Sources said the police then resolved to take Raymond to the New Kru Town Magisterial Court for prosecution.

According to our sources, residents of New Kru Town reportedly got information that the police was en route to the New Kru Magisterial Court with Raymond Kallor, something, which prompted many residents to eagerly line up the route from the Point Four Junction to the court awaiting the arrival of the police with the hardened desperado, Raymond.

Our sources said the police vehicle was greeted with anger as many residents had already taken strategic positions around the vicinity of the court.

Police sources added that when the police arrived at the court with the suspected criminal, he disembarked and was carried into the courtroom, but few minutes later, the angry residents stormed the building and demanded that Raymond be turned over to them.

Sensing that their demand could not be honored, the angry residents threw missiles and other objects at the court building thereby, forcing court authorities and unarmed police officers to flee for safety. The situation later degenerated into a complete anarchy as the residents kept on their attacks and later ransacked the court building and destroyed court records.

Police and UNMIL re-enforcement team who were called in swiftly moved to the then temporary 'no-go-zone' to contain the situation. UNMIL soldiers from the Nigerian contingent fired in the air to disperse the angry crowd, which action inflicted injuries on some police officers and peace- keepers as well.

Our police source stated further that at least eight civilians who reportedly attacked the security forces were wounded in the attack. Hospital authorities at the Redemption Hospital declined to comment on casualty figures but admitted that those wounded from the incident including security forces were undergoing urgent medication at the hospital.

Meanwhile, despite the incident, the police managed to sneak Raymond away from the court and taken into detention at the Central Police Station on Capitol Hill.

In a related development, two notorious armed robbers were on Saturday morning killed in the Borough of New Kru Town. Their bodies were discovered at the Popo Beach, where several residents trooped in their numbers to catch glimpse of the bodies.

The two men were identified as "Bill Boy," and "Walker." Residents who went on the scene identified the two men as members of a notorious armed gang that is also noted for snatching away cell phones from people.

The deceased are said to have participated in a raid last week at a local church compound on the Caldwell Road, where the worshippers were on a crusade night.

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