MONROVIA: The Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), headed by Reverend/ Dr. Samuel B. Reeves, says its attention has been drawn to the recent killings of citizens by state security forces.
LCC described such acts as uncivilized and barbaric and therefore called on security forces to avoid taking away the precious lives of citizens.
The Council of Churches made the call recently in its situation report on President Joseph Boakai’s nearly 7-month old government.
The documented report, covers six months of Boakai government’s operations, and addressed five critical issues including protest against Bea Mountain, Tenure positions, War and Economic Crimes Court, Legislative Waste, corruption, among others.
According to the LCC, after the inception of President Boakai’s government, the Council has been monitoring and documenting happenings in the country’s governance process and how the administration addresses itself to issues affecting the country.
Speaking on the arbitrary killing of citizens by security personnel, LCC indicated that some officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) have been involved in discharging firearms against unarmed citizens.
According to reports, LDEA officer recently, in one of the agency’s operations in fighting drugs in the Jamaica Road Community opened fire and reportedly injured a child and that shooting incident has led to the lifetime injury of the child.
The report also highlighted another incident that occurred on Monday, July 1, 2024, in the Rehab Community where a 17-year-old boy was shot and killed by an officer of the LNP.
It can be recalled that the 17-year-old boy, James Kandy, was shot dead in the ELWA Rehab Community allegedly by LNP officer Ismael Talawally in the chest. The tragic incident occurred in his yard while he was trying repairing his mother’s zinc house that was damaged by rainstorm.
The victim met his untimely death when he left school and when the officer moved in the neighborhood to effect an arrest in favor of one of his neighbors, Marwolo Jallah, who, according to reports, had earlier complained to the police against a resident for allegedly insulting his mother.
The victim popularly known as ‘Baby D’, was a student of the Kenda-Ja Public High School.
Based on these incidents, the LCC has warned that security forces should avoid these uncivilized and barbaric acts by taking away the lives of citizens.
Officer Talawally was charged by the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the LNP with negligent homicide and was dismissal from the police force but the Council of Churches has called on President Boakai to launch an investigation into the two recorded incidents and bring to book the perpetrators for their alleged act.
Meanwhile, the LCC, appreciated the state of the Country under the leadership of President Boakai.
“The question, we believe, many of our citizens are asking is whether or not our country is better off now than six years ago. As a Council, we cannot say it is all rosy, but with God above, we will over all prevail and overcome the enormous challenges our nation currently experiences. We thank President Boakai for sustaining the peace of our nation for the last six months since he took over the mantle of authority. To God alone be all the glory,” the report stated. Writes Linda Gbartie
