MoJ Under Fire Again In Kinjor Killing Case -Bea Mountain Differs With Justice Ministry’s Stance
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MONROVIA: The Management of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation(BMMC) has contradicted the Ministry of Justice’s denial of the killings of three unarmed civilians mistaken for protesters in Kinjor, Grand Cape County on February 29, 2024 and noted that the use of disproportionate force was justified because Bea Mountain was “threatened by the unlawful and violent conduct of the “’so-called protesters’”.
This statement clearly contradicts the Ministry of Justice denial filed on behalf of all of the defendants including the government of Liberia that such incident never took place.
But in its responding to a US$30m lawsuit filed by two of the deceased’s families, Bea Mountain denied ever breaching any commitment to its employees or the residents and added that because it was being threatened by the alleged unlawful and violent conduct of what it referred as “so-called protesters” the Liberian National Police, exercised its lawful duty to protect lives and properties.
Bea Mountain’s justification of the “lawful duty” exercised by the police, clearly confirms and affirms that it was indeed the proximate cause of the disproportionate force used by the police as a consequence of its false distress call made to the Government of Liberia that its facilities were under siege by placards holding protesters.
However, in the complaint filed before the Civil Law Court, the Plaintiffs accused Bea Mountain of engaging in illegal land grab, pollution of the rivers and streams used by villagers and the destruction of crops and traditional shrines, as well as the use of heavily armed security personnel including members of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) to enforce nonresistance to its alleged ruthless policy of illegal land grab.
In response to the citizens’ claims, Bea Mountain confirmed being protected by heavily armed state security personnel, but argued that its Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with the government of Liberia justifies the assignments of heavily armed security guards to protect its operation that is now leading to illegal land grab, pollution of the environment, destruction of crops, among others.
A copy of the answer filed by Bea Mountain which was obtained by this paper, the company boasted that its investment has indisputably improved the lives and livelihood of the people by employing up to 3000 residents from Kinjor and its environs but the citizens’ complaint dismissed such claims.
Investigation conducted by this paper revealed that the other two defendants Avesoro Resources Inc., of Canada and Avesoro Jersey Limited, are yet to be served with the writ of summons and therefore the Plaintiffs are gearing up to secure a writ of re-summons after which they shall serve the defendants by publication as in keeping with law.
Information gathered by this paper says efforts are being made for a possible lawsuit against Avesoro Resources in London where it is trading on the London Stock Exchange.
Already, two leading law firms have given a thumb up to the case.
Investigation continues.
