New Democrat (Monrovia)
23 October 2009
There was pandemonium at the Paynesville Redlight, a business district on the outskirts of Monrovia, Wednesday morning when an officer of the Liberia National Police (LNP) allegedly stabbed a motorbike (pen-pen) rider to death.
What led to the officer using his bayonet (knife carry on the waists by officers) to have stabbed the young man, yet to be identified, is yet unknown. But eyewitnesses said what began as an argument turned out into a struggle between the officer who was dressed in civilian attire and the victim.
An eyewitness, a money changer told this paper that during the struggle with the victim, the officer alleged that victim was the first to use an instrument to cut himon his hand and therefore he reacted by stabbing the victim on his chest near his heart.
He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital were news broke that he was later pronounced dead.
Vehicular movements were brought to a halt for about 30 minutes, as market men, women, boys and girls as well as other motorbike ridders throned the Paynesville Container Park Depot of the LNP demanding instant justice.
It took the efforts of a police reinforcement team backed by UNPOL to bring the situation under control.
Officers of the Liberian National Police were seen deplored at vantage points leading to the Container Park depot, while the UNPOL officer stood within behind the bar wires fence of the depot to deter the violent crowd from over-running the little depot, a sub-station to the Zone -5 police station.
When contacted officers at the depot declined to speak on the issue referring all inquiries to the Police Headquarters. Contacted for comment the Deputy Police Director for Administration, Darkina, who promised to call back but did not do so as at press time.
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I will be back,but as of now i am appealing to anybody familiar with the case to please connect me with the murder victim family or supporters. I'm a former victim of police misconduct here in the united states,and a young man standing up for his right......