–But Defendant Claims He Works for Former Police ‘Unit 102’
By: Jacqueline Dennis
IPNEWS-Monrovia: The Liberia National Police (LNP) on Friday, July 7, 2023, investigated and forwarded to the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice defendant Bennett J. Duncan for the alleged charge of impersonation.
Defendant Duncan alleged that he had worked for the former Police ‘Unit 102’ now ‘Unit 107’ Emmanuel Jaiweh of the central Liberia National Police Headquarters on Capitol Hill, using the LNP uniform to carry out his duty, including to arrest cars, tricycles commonly known as kehkeh, and even citizens based on the order of Police ‘Unit 102’ who is now Police ‘Unit 107’.
Duncan was spotted wearing the LNP full uniform in cuffs on the ground of the Temple of Justice when he encountered some judicial reporters to explain his ordeal.
He indicated that he (Duncan) came across his former Police ‘Unit 102’, who he referred to as his boss at the Barnersville junction along Japanese Freeway in an unidentified vehicle.
According to him, the car windshield was up and he told the driver to bring the windshield down, but the driver refused. He stated after a few minutes, the driver brought the car windshield down and it turned out to be his former boss ‘Unit 102’ and they both greeted each other, and ‘Unit 102’ left the scene.
Defendant Bennett J. Duncan (in cuffs) being taken to the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice
He further said after the former Police ‘Unit 102’ now ‘Unit 107’ left, some Police Support Unit (PSU) officers of the Liberia National Police went with a pick-up truck to arrest and carry him to LNP headquarters as per the order from the former Police ‘Unit 102’ now Police ‘Unit 102’ for alleged impersonation.
“Police ‘Unit 102’ encouraged me to work with him, and they are the ones that gave me the uniform, and I have been operating with the police for the past three years. Now that he is Police ‘Unit 107’ now I have become an impersonator as when he was still ‘Unit 102’ he used to send me to arrest,” defendant Duncan wondered.
However, the police charge sheet said defendant Duncan was informed of his constitutional rights, investigated, and duly charged with Impersonation.
The court document said that defendant Duncan was arrested on July 4, 2023, and seen wearing a full police uniform at the Barnersville junction checkpoint harassing peaceful civilians.
During the police investigation, defendant Duncan admitted to being in police uniform at the checkpoint carrying on the police function on the night he was arrested.
Duncan alleged that Police former ‘Unit 1O2’ now Police ‘Unit 107’ Jaiweh threatened to send him to the Monrovia Central Prison for impersonation after he (Duncan) had worked for the former ‘Unit 102’ for a year.
