By Moses M. Tokpah
The Liberia National Police (LNP) have charged several persons in connection with the recent violent protest at the Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC) in Weala, Margibi County.
Police arrested and detained several persons during the protest that left company assets were damaged, and was said to be against bad labor practices by the SRC management.
Following a week of investigation initiated by the LNP through the Crime Services Department (CSD), several individuals, including tappers with contractor status as well as bonafide employees, have now being charged for their roles in the Thursday, June 27, 2024 disturbances on the compound of the company.
Those charged with the commission of arson, armed robbery, terroristic threats, riot, failure to disperse, burglary, theft of property, aiding consummation of crime, criminal mischief, felonious restrain, criminal attempt to commit murder, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation and criminal solicitation include Joseph Tokpah, Anthony D. Williams, Fayiah Moses, Leo Keemue and James Sackie Bondo.
Also, Nowah Gibson was charged in abstential for aiding the consummation of crime in line with Chapter 12, subchapter A, Section 12.5 of the same penal code of Liberia.
The investigation established that defendants Mary P. Boimah and Lawrence Gorgbor who are executives of the Salala Agricultural Workers Union (SAWU) should have known that the principle defendants had planned to attack the company’s properties which was made to them (Mary P. Boimah and Lawrence Gorgbor) by Mr. Jallah Mensah, HR Manager, on behalf of the Management of SRC.
He however, out of deception concealed the information and misinformed the management that there were no threats or no intention of strike action by the tappers.
LNP revealed that during the violence, properties belonging to the company were destroyed, including the looting of rice and personal properties belonging to Mr. Sangeeth Sathyan, Plantation Manager of SRC.
The investigation put the total cost of properties either damaged or looted such as buildings, vehicle, rice, furniture, bathroom fittings, appliances, electrical fittings, personal belongings, soft furnishings as well as kitchen wares and utilities at US$275,210.
According to the investigation, the perpetrators or culprits acted in consent and their actions were calculated, a meeting of minds in terms of conspiracy which the top executives of Workers Union including Mary P. Boimah and Lawrence Gorgbor had reasons to have known about the attack.
The Police findings further mentioned that the tappers involved in the riot that resulted into looting of properties and damaging valuable properties did the act willingly, purposely and intentionally.
The police said the eight (8) bags of rice (25kg) retrieved during the search & seizure warrant on the home of Madam Tawah Fungoe on the premises of the company were not to be stolen or belonging to the SRC management, adding that Madam Fungoe has no criminal culpability in the case.
“That the attackers/rioters during the period of their criminal conducts had absolute control over the company facilities after they had overwhelmed the MOABEL securities that were on duty as such, the rioters/attackers are collectively culpable for damages of properties stolen/looted and robbery against the security director in person of Mr. Henry A. Barr and Sam Dossen, janitor to the administrative building,” the police revealed.
The investigation revealed that. Mornue M. Jaiway, Estate One (1) superintendent of the Plantation was harassed, intimidated, held/restrained against his will for over an hour by defendant Constance Saad Morlue and his cohorts, and compared him to use his assigned vehicle to lift some of the rioters from various camps to the main office.
It is revealed in the report that five machetes were left abandoned by the rioters in the company compound at several locations while some were recovered by the investigation.
The investigation also discovered that defendant Abraham Okoro attempted to kill Mr. Ajjith Kumar MV, General Manager and Mr. Sangeeth Sathyan, Plantation Manager of the company respectively, using a knife that was in one of his hands.
