Police distance from motorcyclist’s death

Liberia’s Deputy Police Director for Operations, Col. Abraham Kromah, has told motorcyclists at the ELWA Junction in Paynesville that the police have nothing to do with the death of a motorcyclist last Thursday, 16 April  in the GSA Road community in Paynesville.

Violence erupted last week Thursday in the GSA Road community and spread to the Redlight market in Paynesville after commercial motorcyclists took to the streets in apparent revenge for the death of one of their colleagues reportedly struck by a police officer with a baton while in pursuit of the bike rider for violation. 

The violence led to the burning down of the Redlight police depot and looting and destruction of properties.

But Col. Kromah disagreed with rumors of police involvement in the motorcyclist’s death. He said the police did not kill any motorcyclist as reported, saying, “The police did not kill; go into the community where the incident took place and find out for yourself. It is to my understanding the bike man fell down by himself after he was escaping the police; the officer didn’t touch him.”

He however, condemned the action of motorcyclists burning down a police station and damaging properties, stressing that motorcyclists should stop taking law into their own hands and follow the rule of law.

“Don’t take the law into your own hand, Liberia is for everyone of us; we need not to do what we did; while it is true that things may be hard to some extend but don’t allow yourself to be fooled by those, who always want to use you to get what they want through looting. Why you guys will always rush to harm the police whenever things happen, you need to stop,” the deputy police chief explained.

He urged motorcyclists to abide by the government’s regulation and keep off the streets, full investigation into the incident. 

The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice last Thursday halted commercial bikes from plying the troubled Paynesville areas until otherwise order.

Director Kromah in a conversation with motorcyclists at the ELWA Junction in Paynesville Tuesday, 21 April cautioned bike riders to remained law abiding and refrain from violence against the police and peaceful citizens.

He said any regulation put in place by government is intended to help every citizen, including motorcyclists, adding that even the restriction of bikes on the main streets by government has helped a lot as the motorbike wall at the J.F.K. Hospital and other hospitals in the capital have been closed down due to less accident.

 By Ethel A. Tweh