The Informer (Monrovia)
29 October 2009
Personnel of the Liberia National Police have been accused of mal-handling the former President of the Korean Community in Liberia.
Mr. Young Ho Cho, said on October 23, 2009 at about 8:00 AM, a man called him inquiring about the repair of his 275KVA generator at Canaan Technical Engineering Co. located at Sawmill, Bushrod Island.
He said while in Cooper Clinic seeking medication for one of his employees , another call came in at about 10:30 AM on the same number (05462632) informing him that he was already at his shop.
According to Mr. Cho, at about 11:30 AM he arrived at his shop where he met two men in civilian clothes inside his restaurant (Evergreen Restaurant) located on the Upper floor of the shop. He said they asked if he was Mr. Cho, a question he replied yes. He then inquired from them as to the whereabouts of the generator they wanted to repair.
He explained that 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," Mr. Cho said the 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 him.
Having received the search warrant, he requested the presence of his lawyer for the search to be conducted in his presence. When the lawyer, Cllr. Beyan Howard arrived he attested to the authenticity of the court warrant and allowed the search to commence.
Mr. Cho furthered that the joint team of court and LNP officers searched his shop and restaurant, "but most surprisingly did not request to search my residence which is almost located in the same vicinity."
During the search, he said, he along with his wife, the Assistant Manager, the Chinese cook, waitresses were subjected to body search, but nothing illegal was found.
The Korean National disclosed that after the search, he was handcuffed, badly beaten and ill-treated as a common criminal, and taken to the Magisterial Court in New Kru Town.
Thereafter, he said he was taken to the headquarters of the LNP for investigation in the office of the CID Director.
He noted that during the incident, he and his lawyer informed the Honorary Consul General of Korea, Mr. Philipbert S. Browne who immediately arrived at the police station and intervened for his release and was later informed that there was no case or charge against him.
The Korean informed newsmen that the Director of Police, Marc Amblard in a telephone conversation with Consul Browne apologized to the Korean community through the Honorary Consul and later promised to extend his apology in person to Mr. Young Ho Cho.
Mr. Cho quoted Police Director Amblard as expressing regret over the incident and indicated that Mr. Cho was not to be arrested in the first place and as such he has been vindicated by the Police Director.
The Director of Police has promised to give an official police clearance to Mr. Cho today, October 28, 2009, according to Mr. Cho.
"In view of the Director of Police's frankness and fair judgment in handling the Cho case, the Korean community, having instructed their lawyer to pursue a legal suit against the LNP 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," he said.
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