Arrest everyone of interest

The youth league of the Coalition for Democratic Change is calling on the Joint Security to invite everyone of interest to ongoing investigation into the 29 September violence in Foya, Lofa County that left at least two persons dead.

Youth League Chair, Emmanuel M. Johnson, Wednesday petitioned the Ministry of Justice, ECOWAS and the United States Embassy near Monrovia, calling for full-scale investigation to bring perpetrators of the violence to book. 

Mr. Johnson, who is also an Assistant Minister at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, says the youth league is disappointed with the muted bare minimum response coming from state investigators, civil society actors and the international community most especially, what he terms as “vague and indistinct statement” from U.S. Embassy in Monrovia.

International partners, including ECOWAS, EU, and the United States have condemned the recent violence in Lofa and called on the Government of Liberia to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.

However, according to Johnson, there is a pronounced reluctance to name, shame and publically reprimand the perpetrators, to serve as sufficient deterrence against future violence.

As part of its petition, the youth league is recommending that the Standard Bearer of the Unity Party, Joseph N. Boakai be held responsible for any violence that may come out of the electoral process.

Chairman Johnson also calls on the U.S. government to deny entry to America, all individuals instigating violence.

Earlier on Wednesday, CDC Chairman Mulbah Morlu, termed what happened in Lofa as electoral violence and killing of innocent citizens, drawing the attention of the international community for intervention. 

Morlu indicated that the CDC remains very committed to participating in a free, fair, transparent, democratic and peaceful election on October 10, 2023, recalling previous violence that he says the CDC suffered in Lofa.

The Ministry of Justice has dispatched team of investigators to the county to probe the incident amid several arrests by the Liberia National Police.