Liberia: Inchr Probes Mysterious Death of a Man in Police Cell

The Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INHCR) said it is setting up an independent Civil Society Organizations to conduct an independent investigation into the death of Prince Wlehju.

On April 13, 2024 the lifeless body of Prince Wlehju, a resident of 18 Street in Monrovia's Sinkor suburbs believed to be in his 30s, was found hanging in the cell along with five other inmates at the Salem Police Depot near the Spriggs Payne Airport in Sinkor.

According to family sources, Prince Wlehju was taken to the police station by Commissioner Mohammed Fahnbulleh, a commissioner at the NCHR in his official vehicle belonging to INHCR marked LB-3609.

Report said the deceased was taken to the Police Depot by Commissioner Mohammed Fahnbulleh who alleged that the deceased who is said to be a mechanic had been on the run with his Two Hundred United States dollars to repair his damaged vehicle until he was spotted at a local entertainment center that led to his arrest.

But Speaking Monday at a news conference in Sinkor, the Commission Chairperson, Dempster Brown said the Institution will the death seriously and will make sure all those who committed the crimes are brought to book.

Against this backdrop, Cllr. Brown said that the Commission have asked Commissioner Mohammed Fahnbulleh to step aside from the Commission until an independent investigation is conducted. He said the INHCR will also not get involve in the investigation to avoid conflict of interest and to safe the image of the Commission as an integrity institution.

Cllr. Brown however called on the Ministry of Justice to promptly investigate the matter from the inception to the circumstances that resulted in the death of Prince Wlehju and to call for questioning all actors involved from the arrest, detention and subsequent death of Prince Wlehju.

"In view of the above, the Commission is calling on the government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice to assure the bereaved family on every step leading to the investigation of a fair justice". He noted.

Meanwhile, Cllr. Brown want government to conduct an autopsy on the body of Prince Wlehju to ensure Justice nothing that they believe it is the derelict of duty in the circumstance where someone died at the Police station where life is supposed to be protected.

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