Government will take action

-Justice Minister

The Minister of Justice, Benedict F. Sannoh, has stressed that the Government of Liberia will not condone impunity and disruption of the peace and security of the state. 

According to Minister Sannoh, the attention of the Ministry of Justice has been drawn to three incidents over the past few days, involving motorcyclists, which directly or indirectly may have contributed to the violence that took place in the Paynesville area and its environs on Thursday, April 16.

 In a special statement regarding the violence in Paynesville, Minister Sannoh pointed that he was informed that a motorcyclist, who was escaping from Police after he allegedly assaulted one of them at the GSA Road intersection, fell from his bike and was rushed to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. 

According to the Justice Minister, it was the third motorcyclist death in two days, adding “It appears that when the news of this third death got to the other motorcyclists, they went on a rampage, vandalizing and destroying five Police Depots, releasing all detainees and setting ablaze one of the Stations.”

 He further mentioned that an Armed Forces of Liberia or AFL soldier, who reportedly assaulted and killed a cyclist in Thinkers Village on the Robertsfieldd Highway in Paynesville, has been arrested and detained by authorities of the AFL.

Minister Sannoh said the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Staff of the AFL will soon make a determination as to whether he will be tried by the AFL under the UCMJ, or disrobed and turned over to the Ministry of Justice for Prosecution.

 According to the Justice Minister, the other incident was about a commercial vehicle involved in an accident with a motorcycle, leading to the death of the cyclist. He said the driver of the vehicle driver has been arrested and will face prosecution.

Motorcyclist, last Thursday, went anok in the commercial district of Ridlight in Paynesville Cityoutside Monrovia, in protest to the death of one of their colleagues. To the surprise of many, marketers, students and commuters, who had gathered on the roads awaiting vehicles and motorcycles to take them home and elsewhere, the motorcyclists destroyed two police vehicles and burnt the Zone Five Police Depot of the Liberia National Police, as well as looted businesses.

By Ben P. Wesee