Media Foundation wants ex-police chief prosecuted

MediaAid Foundation, a local media advocacy group, is calling for the prosecution of former Deputy Police Director, Col. Abraham Kromah.

Col. Kromah was dismissed from government recently; though President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf did not give any reason for his dismissal, it believed that Col. Kromah has had sour relations with the public, especially commercial motorcyclists.

MediaAid Foundation says all excesses reportedly committed by the dismissed Deputy Police Director during his tenure in office must be thoroughly investigated and further appropriate penalties applied to serve as deterrence against bad public service. 

In a release issued in Monrovia, May 5, 2015, MediaAid Foundation’s Executive Director Titus Tokpah, strongly warned that continuous impunity in public service was destroying the affairs of Liberia. 

Mr. Tokpah said it was a complete rebirth of police brutality in the country when the former Deputy Police Director for Operations repeatedly assaulted motorcyclists and other peaceful citizens under the guise of maintaining ‘law and order’.

The MediaAid Foundation’s Executive Director describes as ‘arbitrary arrogance’ the manner in which Col. Kromah conducted himself, while exercising the people’s power entrusted to him through President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf

Though long over-due, MediaAid Foundation welcomes Col. Kromah’s removal from the police and urged President Sirleaf to ensure relevant charges and prosecution against him.

The Fundation recalls that while in office, there were numerous complaints against Col. Kromah, ranging from alleged brutality against motorcyclists to intimidating, harassing and assaulting ordinary citizens

It strongly warns that given the repeated police reforms supported by the International Community, it was unwanted to keep witnessing a new form of police viciousness in Liberia under the watch of Madam Sirleaf, an internationally acclaimed African woman.

MediaAid Foundation is a Liberian media-development group that engages in journalism training (Peter Quaqua Journalism Training Program-PQJTP), advocacy, research, consultancy and public relations.