Police in Bong County have arrested over 52 persons including men and women for allegedly vandalizing mining company MNG – Gold’s facility.Speaking to journalists in Gbarnga, Bong County recently from a tour in David Dean Town in Kokoyah District, Police Commander Frederick Neppay said the suspects arrested are not yet being formally charged.
However says some of them are helping with an ongoing investigation.The Bong County Police Chief says the arrests from the gold camp and Sayeweh Town does not in any way suggest that they are responsible for vandalizing the company’s facilities.
According to him, those that are not linked to the violence inflicted on the company’s facilities will be allowed to go home.He notes that those who will be connected to the destruction of the company’s properties will be charged and sent to court for prosecution.
Commander Nappay did not state the extent of the damage done to the MNG-Gold’s facilities, but maintains that several valuables, including some gold, were looted.Some of the alleged looted items have been retrieved by police following a vigorous search.The Bong County police commander has clarified that police officers that are currently searching for stolen MNG – Gold properties are not forcibly entering into people’s houses as being reported by some citizens in the county.
Commander Neppay told this paper that the police are only searching for the stolen properties at the outskirt of the nearby towns where they believe many of the items are hidden.He urges citizens to stop spreading rumor because the police are doing non- political work and they do not want it to be politicized.
The Police describe those making the claim as liars who want to obstruct their work.There has been huge outcry from citizens of Sayeweh Town, David Dean Town as well as surrounding towns and villages that police are allegedly forcing their way into people’s homes in search of MNG – Gold’s properties.
They claim that police were taking their personal belongings.It all started in Sayeweh Town around 4 P.M. on Monday, 5 November when a vehicle belonging to a sub- contracted Chinese company hired by the Turkish Mining Company (MNG-Gold) allegedly killed four persons.
The driver of the company’s vehicle reportedly escaped the scene for fear of being killed by an angry mob that allegedly set the Toyota land cruiser four-door pickup ablaze.
Citizens of the District vandalized the company facilities and looted several valuables, including explosives intended for blasting rocks at the company.
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By Joseph Titus Yekeryan in Bong–Edited by Winston W. Parley
