Victims’ Families In Kinjor Protest Demands Drastic Action Against Shooters
Families of victims in the recent Kinjor protest in which at least three persons where killed are demanding drastic action against police officers who allegedly discharged arms on peaceful protesters.
Addressing a news conference over the weekend in Monrovia, Millias Z. Sheriff, Consultant/Liaison of the victims’ families said the prudent thing to be done by the Police is to turn Chief Superintendent Clinton Morris, Superintendent Spencer Tamba, Chief Inspector Ezekiel J. Doe, and Chief Inspector Marcus C. Zorleh who all admitted to discharging their weapons to face justice than to present a bogus report having them exonerated.
“Additionally, we are calling upon the Liberia National Police to disrobe and prosecute the newly promoted Deputy Police Commissioner, Amos Williams who served as Commander during the operation and gave the order to indiscriminately shoot and kill unarmed citizens,” Mr. Sheriff said.
He added, “We do hereby question the professional integrity, impartiality, and independence of the Police Report. The Police killed innocent people while representing the Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC), investigated themself, and came out with a bogus report. The Police Report is irresponsible, and reckless, and can be considered as a compromised trash.” He described the report as insensitive and heartless.
“We are calling for an independent forensic investigation to establish the authenticity of what occurred on that fateful day of February 29 and also demanding the Government of Liberia to facilitate the conduct of an independent autopsy on the two (2) dead bodies of Essah Massaley and Abraham Kerkula that are yet to be buried,” he added.
Sheriff noted, “We are also calling the attention of the International Community through their Embassies or Diplomatic Missions located near Monrovia to pay keen attention to the deadly situation that occurred in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County. Peaceful citizen’s lives were lost and some were brutally manhandled by the Liberian National Police (LNP) while representing the interests of the Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC).”
He said these are flagrant human rights violations that need to be flagged as justice is being sought. “Due to the sensitivity of the Police Report which could cause upheaval in the county and country at large, we are calling on the International Community including ECOWAS, African Union (AU), the American Embassy, the European Union, among others to see the need to immediately intervene by providing International Independent investigators. We need your speedy intervention as the action by the Police in Kinjor and their insensitive justification have the proclivity to undermine the hard-earned peace.” “Let it be unequivocally clear that we will pursue this matter to its logical conclusion. As we seek justice, the families of the late Essah Massaley and Abraham Kerkula have contracted the services of a law firm and an International Consultant to provide proper guidance and direction on the way forward during this critical period. As we conclude this statement, we want to inform the Liberian people and the world that the Bea Mountain Facility or compound remains a crime scene and shall be subjected to a formal criminal investigation when a panel of independent forensic criminal investigators is appointed,” he concluded.
