MONROVIA – The Movement for Economic Empowerment(MOVEE) has said it has all reason to suggest that the attack on the Student Unification Party(SUP) was state sponsored given the “misguided and reckless statement” from the Liberia National Police (LNP) that it has not received formal complaint to arrest and prosecute perpetrators for what the police called “criminal actions committed against the stability of the community though the perpetrators are known and identifiable but still parade the streets as free citizens in Monrovia.
The party, in a press statement while naming the alleged perpetrators as Ben Togba, Poker Roberts, Abdurahman Barrie and others, called on the government through the Ministry of Justice to arrest and prosecute them for the violent attacks on peaceful protesting students.
“The Movement for Economic Empowerment (MOVEE) expresses disdain and condemns in the strongest terms acts of violence and barbarism that ensued on Tuesday, July 26, 2022 against protesting students of the Student Unification Party (SUP) perpetrated by individuals under the banner of the Coalition for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots (CDC-COP). The violent scene trending on social media, especially those depicting the torturing, gnashing of body parts of a member of the Student Unification Party being stripped and paraded naked is reminiscent of the brutal and inhumane acts that marked the country’s years of civil wars. The terror on July 26 against peaceful demonstrators of SUP is a fresh reminder of the gruesome killing of former president Samuel K. Doe by General Prince Y. Johnson.
“The MOVEE wants to make it unequivocally clear that the action of the protesting students was an exercise of their fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 13 and 15 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution. As shown in the disturbing footage and video on the incident, members of the CDC-COP led by its leader Ben Tokpah stormed the protest ground and attacked SUP members while the Independence Day Ceremony was being held at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion on Ashmun Street in Monrovia – distant from the entrance of the U.S. Embassy on Benson Street where the protest was being held. MOVEE believes the CDC-COP, agent of terror, trained, organized and financed through stolen state resources must be held liable for leading the unprovoked barbaric attack against peaceful protesting students under the direct instruction of Monrovia City Mayor and Commander of the Sabou Unit Jefferson Tamba Koijee, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Commander of the Porcupine Warriors Nathaniel McGill and President George Weah. MOVEE holds the conviction that the dissent against SUP is part of a wicked agenda of the CDC to instill intimidation and fear in opposition voices and the citizenry to pave the way for the CDC to steal the pending 2023 presidential and legislative elections. The terror on July 26 and the continuous silence of President Weah and his government speak volume that Liberians should brace themselves of the presence of a Liberian version of Uganda dictator General Idi Amin Dada Oumee”, the statement said.
The party said by now it is unequivocally clear that the Liberian National Police is a regime Police Force that cannot be trusted to protect lives and properties, adding that it is disappointed and appalled that uniformed members of the Liberia National Police anti-riot unit stood by, watched and laughed and did nothing to protect student Chris Walter Susulivi who was beaten, gnash with knives and sharp objects, stripped naked and paraded in the streets in a blatant disregard for rule of law. “To the disbelief of Liberians, the police escorted the terror – beams with smiles as thugs from the CDC went on with the humiliation most likely because they were under instruction of their high command headed by President Weah and executed by Mayor Koijee and Minister McGill”, the statement said.
“After four days since the commission of the terror, the Liberian National Police under the supervision of the Minister of Justice has sadly made no arrest of any of the perpetrators despite the trending horrific video depicting the commission of the horror”.
“It is important to remind President Weah that his continuous silence on acts of violence, mysterious killings and torture being continuously meted out against citizens are translating into a typical buildup of grieves and anger which if not addressed, could lead to disruptive public actions.
“The MOVEE urges the Minister of Justice to take seize of the July 26 butchery and ensure the CDC-COP leadership is arrested and prosecuted consistent with the laws of the Republic of Liberia. We also call on other political parties, religious bodies and the civil society to condemn this action and demand immediate arrest of the perpetrators”, the statement concluded.
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