MONROVIA: Montserrado County former senatorial candidate, Mustapha Al-Sheikh Kouyateh, has underscored the need for national security reform in the country.
He said reform of the nation’s security sector will enable the citizens to have more confidence in the state security apparatuses.
According to him, currently, most Liberians have no confidence in some of the state security institutions and agencies due to the “manner” in which people are being recruited into the various security agencies.
Al-Sheikh Kouyateh who is also a political activist expressed the belief that if his proposed security reform is implemented by the Liberian government, it will afford the citizens the opportunity to rebuild explicit confidence and trust in the national security agencies.
Addressing a News Conference on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, in Monrovia, Kouyateh raised concern over the recruitment of individuals with questionable conducts in to public security institutions and agencies such as the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC), that has recruited some former fighters of erstwhile armed groups in the Liberian civil war that ended in 2003.
He named Varlee Telleh, formerly of ULIMO, who is now a patrol man in the Police Department of the Monrovia City Corporation.
According to him, former fighters like Varlee Telleh who was also a member of the erstwhile Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATL), during the administration of former President Charles Taylor is “well known for allegedly committing gross human rights violations both in Lofa County, Gardnerville, Monrovia, and in Sinoe County.
He was a dangerous fighter of the late Alhaji G.V. Kromah Faction of the United Liberation Movement of Liberia (ULIMO-K), who is well known for committing gross human rights violation both in Lofa County, Gardnerville in Monrovia, and in Sinoe County, Kouyateh told the news conference.
Kouyateh: “How can, we, as citizens, have confidence in the security apparatuses when people we know by their bad conducts are resurfacing in various security agencies of the country? Can we trust them or are we saved with them being around us?”
In another development, Mr. Kouyateh cautioned the Liberian government to thoroughly investigate the recent attacks against the home of former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Gloria Musu-Scott.
He said for a prominent Liberian citizen such as Justice Scott to suffer alleged assassination attempts three consecutive times in the last two weeks, which led to the gruesome killing of her daughter and the injury of other family members should not be taken lightly.
He pointed out that if government fails to take Justice Scott’s situation seriously, it may have the propensity to create fear among Liberians.
In the same vein, the Monrovia City Police, has issued a release in which it said, its attention has been drawn to what they described as “a false, malicious and devilish accusation made against an officer of the City Police”, Varlee Telleh, by Cllr. Jerome Verdier, former Chairman of the erstwhile Liberia Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), linking Officer Varlee Telleh to the recent series of attacks against Justice Scoot’s home.
Following the attacks on the home of Justice Scott, Cllr. Jerome J. Verdier, now, Executive Director of Washington DC based International Justice Group (IJG), accused officer Varlee Telleh of murdering the daughter of the former Chief Justice, and that the act was allegedly masterminded by Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Temba Koijee.
He made the claims via a radio Talk-Show, Spoon Talk recently.
But in their release, dated February 28, 2023, the personnel of the Monrovia City Police condemned the “grave accusation” against Mayor Koijee and officer Varlee Telleh.
The release continued that the Monrovia City Police is a “vibrant, ethical and professional force with the constitutional responsibility to protect lives and properties within the city limit.”
“This Force,” the release said, “does not in any way, tolerate any unethical or unprofessional act by any member, from top to bottom, not even the Director,” the City Police release said.
“We also want to inform the public that Varlee is in country and performing his duty as a Patrol Officer at the Monrovia City Police, contrary to Verdier’s claims,” the release asserted.
It said, the act of baselessly mischaracterizing and falsely accusing people of committing grave crimes is totally inhumane and a violation of human rights.” The release further noted that the action of Cllr. Verdier is “anti-peace and has the propensity to incite violence in the heart of family members of the victims.”
The City Police maintains in its release, that “Liberia is a country of laws, therefore, any individual with concerns should contact the court of competent jurisdiction, instead of making “reckless allegations.”
