IPNEWS: Several persons believe to be relatives of Alfred Dunner, the National Elections Commission (NEC) Magistrate in Grand Gedeh have been attacked, fired at and flogged by some residents of the community where he mysteriously went missing last week.
Election Magistrate Dunner mysteriously went missing on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 in Janzon, Niao Clan, Grand Gedeh County where he was seeking traditional treatment.Members of his kinsmen from Ziah Town who went to Janzon to inquire about his whereabouts were reportedly attacked and chased from the area by a group of young people in Niao Clan.
Rev. Bill Dunner, Alfred’s senior brother said the young people were armed with cutlasses and fire-arms.According to him, several of their kinsmen reportedly sustained injuries and bullet wounds and are currently admitted at Martha Tubman Hospital in Zwedru City.
Rev. Dunner who narrowly escaped the area via Ivory Coast border said he and six others were held hostage for several hours by some citizens of Niao Clan who erected roadblocks to prevent them from leaving the area.
He said despite intervention from the town chief and the Acting Superintendent of Grand Gedeh County, they were allegedly threatened and intimidated by the Niao citizens who setup roadblocks.Rev. Dunner narrated that while in the town, someone called him and advised him to use a back road which took him six hours to the Liberian-Ivory Coast border. He further explained that he was aided by an immigration officer who at one point disarmed some residents who pursued them on bikes.
“The immigration officer turned us over to authorities of Ivory Coast who helped us travelled back to Zwedru City,” he noted.
Back in Zwedru, Rev. Dunner told journalists that Alfred’s disappearance is linked to the November 16, 2021 By-Election, which he supervised.He alleged that Alfred has previously complained about threats on his life by some individuals who allegedly recruited some ex-combatants to execute him.
Rev. Dunner noted that Alfred went into hiding for several weeks.Family sources alleged that Alfred was threatened by Senator Zoe Pennue, Superintendent Kai Farley and Rep. Alex C Grant to manipulate the Representative by-election in Grand Gedeh County in favor of Jeremiah Sokan, but refused based on his ethical standards.Since then, he has repeatedly been threatened by these men, the family sources alleged.One of those accused said Superintendent Farley failed to return our reporter’s call up till press time as he promised to do on Sunday, May 8, 2022.
Last week, the Chief Patron of Friends of Willie Dweh is troubled by news of the mysterious disappearance of Mr. Alfred Dunner in Niao, Grand Gedeh.
Alfred, a native of Konobo District, serves the Republic of Liberia through the National Elections Commission. While seeking traditional healing in Niao, Alfred went missing in the wild in Niao on Monday and he is yet to be discovered.
“We are troubled by this unfortunate incident because we hold the constitutional view that every person in the Republic of Liberia has the right to life and all freedoms enshrined in our constitution. It is worrisome for a peaceful citizen (like Alfred) to go missing in such a negatively bizarre manner.”
“Our prayers are with Alfred’s family in this uncertain time. It is grief-stricken for a family wail over the whereabouts of one of its members in such a manner. This is an experience that no family would want to face. We therefore join those calling on our county authorities to make frantic efforts to find Alfred and reunite him with his family.” Angry Youths spokesperson told IPNEWS.
Some prominent citizens of Konobo District, hinted to IPNEWS that all they envisioned at the moment for the setting up of teams of joint security, including other Elders of Konobo District, to lead the search for Alfred. They insisted that it was time for the county authorities to demonstrate leadership and responsibility to ensure the security of every person in Grand Gedeh County.
Meanwhile, the citizens of Konobo District are humbly appealing for calm and refrain from any form of violence.
” Violence in all forms will only make matter worse, heighten our worries, and destroy our county. We also call on the people of Konobo and Niao to not allow this situation to stain the good relationship that exists among our people in all districts of Grand Gedeh County.”
“Let us keep faith in God and trust the efforts of all those searching for Alfred during this difficult situation. It is our hope that Alfred will be found alive.”The Chief Patron of Friends of Willie Dweh, stated.
Reports coming in from Grand Gedeh county late Wednesday, April 4, says violence erupted among citizens as pressure mount for search of missing NEC Staff in Grand Gedeh County.
Amidst growing pressure from family of missing NEC staff Alfred Dunner, IPNEWS understands it that another chaotic scene of violence erupted in Niao Clan between those who have gone there (County Authority, Joint Security & CSO’s ) to authentic informations on a discovered body alone the Cavalla river bank, and to have a meeting to explore a way forward .
Eye witnesses told IPNEWS via mobile phone Wednesday evening that the violence brought to standstill major activities including roads block by some unidentified men.
Grand Gedeh County Acting Superintendent Pour Neeo in an interview with Choice News said the county security council will do all they can in finding the missing man , he added a meeting was held with stakeholders of the county including the traditional leaders to deploy security officers and asked the Niao Clan to bring ten persons of each town to aid the security in search of the missing NEC Staff.
Earlier Wednesday morning, reports emerged over the discovery of a lifeless body on the Cavalla river bank that proof the contrary.
A victim of yesterday’s riot identified as Wallace Barway, employee of the Ministry of Gender explained his ordeal: ” We gone there with the local Authority to mediate a way of finding our missing Brother , when asked the Niao people to bring ten persons of each town to join the search team they refused and said untill the herbalist who treating the missing man instruct them which brought exchange of harsh words between the Niao youth and some families members of the missing NEC Staff Dunner in a few seconds they started throwing stones at us and I was beating my phone and other materials was stolen while other belongings got damaged in the fight, one of my friends from Mines – Energy got wounded and he’s hospitalized the securities officers escaped the scene,”
The mysterious disappearance of the national elections commission acting magistrate has cause panic and fear amongst citizens of the county as they mount pressure on authorities to find the missing man. .
It can be recalled on Tuesday mid night at about 2:00AM Mr. Alfred Dunner came out of the house where he and his siblings were sleeping and is yet to be found.
Dunner had gone to seek a traditional treatment from a herbalist in the area .
Alfred Dunner conducted two uninterpreted elections ( The 2020 senatorial & November 13 Tchien District By-elections ) in Grand Gedeh County as acting elections magistrate . For more into this story, login to www.independentprobe.com
