Marketers erect road-blocks

Normal traffic along the Paynesville-central Monrovia route was disrupted early Wednesday when hundreds of marketers mostly women erected road-blocks, demanding justice for the murder of a security guard at the market on Tuesday night.

The security guard only identified as Kollie, was stabbed multiple times to death by an unknown armed robber who had broken into the general market, where the marketers keep their commodities. The market is situated between the GSA and ELWA junctions, near the Liberian Broadcasting System.

Marketers said the incident occurred around half past 8 PM, after Kollie left a nearby video center where he had gone to watch the USA vs. Belgium match to carry out some security check when he was attacked by the intruding armed robber.

One of the protesters told the New Dawn that Kollie and the robber tussled for several minutes, before being stabbed to death.

Another protesting marketer, Madam Korpo Jallah said when the incident occurred the local Police which is detailed about less than 10 minutes’ drive from the market were called in but they refused to take Kollie who was at near death to the closest ELWA Hospital citing logistical constraints.

“We will not leave this place until officials of the LMA (Liberia Marketing Association) can assured us of our security,” Madam Jallh said, while adding that marketers pay monthly fees for current and security but yet they have no current at the general market.

This is the first time there has been a casualty at the market, where a criminal has killed a security guard, Abraham Johnson, one of the marketers told the New Dawn, while trying to telling other marketers to adhere to the Police advice  and remove the road blocks.

Deputy Police Director for Operations Abraham Kromah who came on the scene to speak with the marketers expressed regret over the incident and indicated the police resolve to establish a depot near the market because of the high crime rate in the area.