IPNEWS: Immediately after the disarmament, demolition, and rehabilitation program for former combatants of the 14-year Liberian civil war and upheaval under the auspices of the international community, including the United Nations, United States of America, and other partners in 2004, Liberians were of the ardent hope that the restructuring of the Liberian military and other security forces would yield positive dividends in rekindling the hope of ordinary Liberians that a new day had dawned.
During the administration of former Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a host of seasoned Liberian law enforcers and security personnel reaped international training benefits in the restructuring process of the Liberian security sector.
The United Nations, the United States of America, and other international partners provided the platform for Liberian security forces to be trained and be on par with their international colleagues.
So it was no mistake when the United States Government took the lead to restructure the Liberian security sector, beginning with a new Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) which became dubbed as “Forces for Good”, the then Special Security Service (SSS) that later became the Executive Protective Service (EPS) and the Liberia National Police (LNP), where specialized training was conducted for top-notched police officers who became to be known as the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and the Police Support Unit (PSU).
Fast forward to 2022, all of the efforts exerted by the Liberian government with the support of international partners seem to have gone in vain with reports of latest wave of shootings spree that has led to the deaths of unarmed civilians, either out of personal agendas of those security personnel who perpetrated those acts or for political reasons, something the IPNEWS is investigating.
The most recent incident involved the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), a restructured force that has been dubbed the “Force for Good” because it has always intended to erase the old past of the disbanded AFL that was linked to mayhem and massacres during the 14-year civil war.
During the Liberian civil war, the AFL became known as “Samuel Doe Army” because it was lately made of Doe’s kinsmen whose only intent and mandate were to defend the late President at the detriment of Liberians.
Even when the late Doe was offered an opportunity to leave with his family into exile in order to save Liberia, President Doe proffered an unreasonable condition that he would only go into exile with 500 of his kinsmen, a situation the United States government and other international partners were not comfortable with. The rest is history.
And so, when the new AFL along with other security forces were restructured, Liberians were hopeful the dark days of the civil war were far gone, and a new day had dawned where the new batch of AFL and other security personnel were trained to be only loyal to the state and not individual because an individual will perish but the state will always remain.
Inasmuch as every society or security apparatus will have their challenges in the case of deviants who may want to circumvent the laws and order of the state, the paramount objective and mandate of all state security is to protect lives and protect and defend the country against external aggressive forces.
But Liberians were shocked recently, to be précised in months of June and July 2023 respectively, when some bad elements within the Liberian security forces, including the AFL, EPS and LNP-ERU transgressed as one of their members rained tragedy on some families of Liberians, arbitrarily killing three civilians in cold blood for reasons that are yet to be established.
It can be recalled in June 2022, a soldier of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), alias “Force for Good” assigned at the Star Base or Coast Guard Base reportedly shot his colleague for reason or reasons the Ministry of Defense has not understood.
The Assistant Defense Minister for Press and Public Affairs, Sam Collins revealed Sergeant Prince Tucker died at his assigned post station, the Star Base, on the night of June 6, in an incident that led to a colleague sustaining injuries as a result of a gunshot wound to his lower right abdomen and right elbow.
According Assistant Minister Collins, while the shooting incident that led to Tucker’s death was unfortunate; the deceased had to be charged with an attempt to commit murder under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
“It sounds funny out there to hear that a dead person has been charged but the Armed Forces of Liberia has decided to do this in line with the law in the purview of the military and in consonance with the 1986 Constitution. It is a crime to take away life, it does not matter if you commit suicide,” Collins told journalists.
“The Military Police report recommended Sergeant Tucker be charged according to Article 80 (Attempt to Commit Murder); Article 128 (Aggravated Assault); Article 134 (Firearm, discharging willfully, under circumstances, has to endanger human life); and Article 92 (Failure to obey order or regulation) under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
Collins added that the Military Police investigation also found that Tucker shot himself to death -which carries a lot of charges including aggravated assault and willful firearm discharge under circumstances to endanger life.
He alleged that Tucker failed to obey orders or regulations and, as such, his death does not exempt him under the UCMJ from being charged. Collins added that the inquiry finds that Sergeant Tucker walked into the security booth, picked up a weapon without permission, and when challenged by the personnel on duty at the Adjepako Gate, he shot the first round of 7.62 x 39mm ammunition — raising concern among soldiers and the civilian dependents at the base.
“The investigation reveals that Sergeant Tucker aimed the AK 47 rifle at his colleague Sergeant Edwin Sanders (injured) when he was being confronted. However, Sergeant Sanders, considering the situation, decided to persuade and discourage Sergeant Tucker from taking such Actions. But seeing the determination of Sergeant Tucker to shoot him he decided to take off, knowing he was vulnerable without a weapon.
“Unfortunately, Sergeant Tucker was only about 5 meters away from Sergeant Sanders and shot him with the AK 47 he illegally obtained from the security booth with a live 7.62 X 39mm round,” Collins said. “In no time Sergeant Tucker, realizing his action, turned and placed the muzzle of the AK 47 into his mouth and pulled the trigger, shooting himself through his mouth with live 7.62 X 39 mm ammunition, which left him dead.”
What remains to be answered is was Sergeant Sanders a vetted AFL personnel, knowing fully well that once a weapon is assigned to you all responsibilities thereof are within your jurisdiction.
Additionally, Minister Collins said, the motive behind the shooting is yet to be established but security and personnel safety actions are being instituted.
“The Ministry of National Defense and Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Liberia acknowledge that protecting military installations, and the people who work and live there from such incidents is a major undertaking,” Collins said.
“And finally, identifying security solutions and gaps on our installations where we served has always been a priority and all recommendations coming from the investigation will be taken seriously. The families of the victims have been contacted and all necessary assistance or support for them has been considered including funeral arrangements for the deceased.”
“Sergeant Sanders was taken into surgery, and a 7.62 x 39 mm projectile was extracted from his lower left abdomen. Sanders is responding to medical treatment,” Collins noted.
After the AFL incident, the Executive Protective Service (EPS), the elite presidential guard force has fallen in a similar situation, where one of its officers shot and killed a civilian at the Police Academy Junction in Paynesville for reasons yet to be established by the LNP.
A statement from the LNP says the gunman, who has been identified as Patrick Kollie, is an EPS officer assigned with Managing Director Bill Twehway of the National Port Authority (NPA).
In the shooting incident at the Police Academy junction in Paynesville Monday morning, one Valentine T. Johnson was allegedly shot and killed.
The statement from the LNP extolled Police Inspector General of Police @+231 55 555 5100, Deputy Inspector General of Police @ +231 77 796 8010 for the swift containment of the situation and arrest of the perpetrator.
The LNP later urged the public to stay tuned for more details as the story unfolds.
But in a press release issued by the EPS, it regretted the unfortunate incident and disclosed that the EPA agent has been disrobed and turned over the LNP for investigation and subsequent prosecution in keeping with the laws of Liberia.
But IPNEWS gathered the EPS is tasked with the responsibility of not only protecting the President, Vice President, Speaker, Pro-Temp but also has statutory responsibility to provide protection for other top government officials where need be.
There has been no reason why officer Kollie shot and killed Valentine T. Johnson at the Police Academy community in Paynesville.
LNP-ERU Shooting Incident
While Liberians were digesting the Police Academy shooting incident involving a now disrobed EPS officer, residents of Bushrod Island woke up two after to another shooting incident, this involving an officer of the Liberia National Police (LNP) who was assigned with the Emergency Response Unit (ERU).
IPNEWS gathered that another shooting incident is said to have occurred in Popo’s Beach, New Kru Town in Montserrado County, District #16, leaving one Liberian dead.
According to our sources, an officer of the Emergency Response Unit of the Liberia National Police allegedly shot a disadvantaged youth (zogos) named Brazilian Cafu and the victim was later pronounced dead before reaching a health center.
Our sources added that the alleged shooter (ERU officer) James Togba reportedly requested cash from the camp of disadvantaged youths, and the victim along with his colleagues refused to give him the cash he demanded.
Police Disrobed Officer, Turn Him Over for Investigation
Meanwhile, the Liberia National Police with immediate effect disrobed and turned over one of its officers of the Emergency Response Unit, James Togba in connection to a shooting incident that occurred Monday, July 4, 2022 in the Fuel Oil Community, Point Four, Bushrod Island.
Moses Carter, the Police spokesperson in a press statement dated Tuesday, July 5 said at about 7pm the LNP administration received information that one of its officers was allegedly involved with a shooting incident which left one person, Olando Bloh, 37, a resident of New Kru Town seriously wounded.
“The victim was immediately rushed to the John F. Kennedy Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead on arrival by a doctor on duty”, Carter said.
Carter did not however mention who the deceased was but said the ERU officer is presently in custody at the Liberia National Police headquarters on Capitol Hill in Monrovia undergoing investigation.
The LNP spokesperson stressed that the Police administration has already reached out to the family of the deceased and extended its sympathy adding “the bereaved family was assured of justice”.
Carter added that Police Inspector General Patrick Sudue responding to reports of the shooting in Point Four expressed dismay and vowed to ensure that the officer involved be duly investigated and made to face the full weight of the law.
Public and Political Pundits’ Reaction
The public and political pundits have blamed the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government for the current wave of unsanctioned shooting incidents in and around Monrovia.
According to the public and political pundits, the Government put up in pretense that it would prosecute security perpetrators of heinous crimes but in the end, you would find those very accuse security personal walking the streets of Monrovia freely, while at the same time still take their salary pay check.
One political pundit told IPNEWS that he is het to see whether the Ministry of Justice has implemented the order of the Supreme Court of Liberia to charge and bring to book a senior police officer who was accused of allegedly raping a female officer in his office at the LNP headquarters on Capitol Hill.
“How can the government says it is fighting crimes when it is toothless in cracking down on security personnel or other Liberians who support the cause and have come into conflict of the law?”
Disrobing Accused Security Personnel a Mere Mirage
Some political pundits have also stated that the regular “disrobing of accused security personnel is a mere mirage” only intend to the paint a picture to the public that ruling establishment is serious about clamping down on crimes.
One pundit said time in memorial, the LNP, EPS and other security apparatuses have publicly stated that they have disrobed an accused officer who has violated human rights but in the end that very officer is still seen operating in the respective forces.
The pundits have called on the government to be sincere and genuine in the fight to clamp down on those bad elements within the security forces when they beach the law, if they want to be on par with their international colleagues and gain support for the growth of Liberian security apparatuses. Writes Siebo Williams, Editor-in-Chief; siebowilliams@yahoo.com; 0770-217748
