Hell broke loose on Monday, November 1, 2021 when supporters of the People’s Liberation Party (PLP) purposely obstructed free movement of people and vehicles, contesting that if the government does not grant a landing permit to a helicopter belonging to their Standard Bearer, Dr. Daniel E. Cassell, they would not leave the main street.
The PLP was certificated by the National Elections Commission (NEC) early 2021 but appears to have already accustomed itself with the normal political rhetoric and tirade, thus bringing no change to the political landscape as was expected by many skeptics.
The violent protesters were however dislodged by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP), who arrested seventeen of them and charged them accordingly.
According to the police charge sheet accessed by the Hot Pepper, the protesting individuals were arrested on Monday along the Tubman Boulevard, taken to the police headquarters, informed of their Constitutional and Miranda rights, investigated and charged.
The arrested individuals were charged for rioting, failure to disburse, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways and other public passages, in violation of Chapter 17, Sections 17.1, 17.3 and 17.7 of the revised Penal Law of the Republic of Liberia. According to the charge sheet, this was “predicated upon their criminal conducts when they purposely or recklessly obstructed the freeway, precisely 20th Street, Sinkor, Tubman Boulevard, on Monday, November 1, 2021 between 9:45 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.”.
Those arrested were Moses Konneh, David Sherman, Ngarbay B.S. Johnson, Musu Jabateh, Samuelyn Jackson, Blessing Dolo, Blessing Flomo, Daniel B. Johnson, Edith Johnson-Nyemah, Alieu V. Kamara, Victor Towah Weah, Tom Blessing Jobo, Jr., Bendale J. Dennis, Obediah Roland, Augustine Hunter, Francis P. Fayiah and Mohammed Bah.
The LNP investigation maintained that the defendants’ misconduct of blocking the street was unlawful, as they did not have legal privilege to do so; and that they participated in a public disturbance, obstructed law enforcement or other government functions and caused public inconvenience, annoyance or recklessly creating a risk thereof. As such, they were charged and forwarded to court.
Howbeit, the Judge of the City Court, Jomah Jallah, released the defendants yesterday, to appear in court today for the hearing of the case. Investigation continues.