The former president of the Korean community in Liberia Mr. Mr. Young Ho Cho was on October 23, 2009 at about 8: a.m., harassed by some officers of the Liberian National Police LNP. According to Mr. Cho, the officers who were not in uniform, got him under the false pretense that they were looking for him to have their generator repaired. But to his outmost surprised, the men ordered his arrest and placed him under serious interrogation, an incident which led to police Director Mac Ambarld intervening.

Mr. Cho explained: "A man called my cell phone inquiring about the repair of his broken 275 KVA generator, so he was advised to bring the generator to my shop (Canaan Technical Engineering Co.) located at Sawmill, Bushrod Island.

"About 9:00 AM, I went to cooper clinic, located on the 12th Street, Sinkor to have an employee's eyes check-up. While at the cooper Clinic at 10:30am, the number (05462632) called to inform him that he was already at my shop, so he was advised by me via cell phone to wait for 30 minutes, which would enable me to travel from Sinkor to Bushrod Island.

"At about 11:30am, I arrived to meet the two men in civilian cloths inside my restaurant (Evergreen Restaurant), located on the upper floor of my shop. They asked me if I was Mr. Cho, I replied, "yes." I then inquired from them as to the where-about of the generator they wanted to have repaired.

While this conversation was going on, one of the men replied that he was going outside to call his boss and was later followed by the second gentleman. About three minutes later, they (the two men) returned with some officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) and some court officers from the New Kru Town Magisterial court with a search warrant that was presented to me" he narrated his ordeal.

Upon the receipt of the search warrant Mr. Cho added, he then requested that his lawyer Cllr. Beyand Howard be present before any search is conducted. "I received the search warrant and asked that my lawyer be present. Upon the arrival of my lawyer, Cllr. Beyand Howard, who attested to the authenticity of the court warrant, the search was allowed to commence.

The joint team of court and LNP officers searched my shop and restaurant but most surprisingly, they did not request to search my residence which is almost located in the same vacancy "he disclosed. Also During the search, the Korean claimed, he along with his wife, the Asst. Manager, the Chinese cook, and the waitress were subjected to beating, torture and other forms of humiliation.

"I along with my wife, the Asst. Manager, the Chinese cook, waitress was subjected to body search, but nothing illegal was found.

After the search, I was handcuffed, badly beaten and ill treated as a common criminal, and was taken to the magisterial court at New Kru Town. Thereafter, I was taken to the headquarters of the LNP for investigation at the office of the CID Director.

During the incident, my lawyer being by my side, we had the Honorary Council General of Korea Mr. Philipbert Browne informed, and he did arrive at the police station in person. Through the timely intervention of Mr. Browne and Cllr. Howard, I was released and was informed that there was neither a case nor a charge against me" he said.

Meanwhile, The Director of Police, Marc Ambarld, in a telephone conversation has apologized to the Korean community, through the honorary consul, and promised to extend his apology in person to Mr. Young Ho Cho. The police Director regretted the incident, indicating that Mr. Cho, former president of Korean community in Liberia, was not to be arrested in the first place, and as such, has been vindicated by the Police Director. Additionally, the Director of Police has promised to give an official police clearance to Mr. Cho today October29, 2009.

In view of the Director's frankness and fair judgment in handling the Cho case, the Korean community, having instructed Mr. Cho to pursue legal action against the Liberian National Police for wrong arrest and police brutality, has again instructed Cllr. Howard to drop all charges against the LNP as the community awaits an official clearance for their former president.