Press Statement on the brutalization of Imam in Karnplay, Nimba County, Liberia

By Gibson W. Jerue
Journalist/Author

For Immediate Release

July 27, 2012

Gibson W. Jerue

Fargo, ND, USA, July 27, 2012: Another brutality has been reported; another callous act by the Liberian security apparatus, this time by Immigration officers, has been revealed. The Public Agenda Newspaper reported Wednesday, July 25, 2012 that an Imam of Karnplay, Gbehlay Geh District, Nimba County, identified as Ansu Kromah was brutalized by immigration officers on the orders of Commander Anthony Loleh and Deputy Commander Thomas Saye for reportedly not cooperating with inquiry on his nationality.

According to the report, the Immigration officers believe the Deputy Imam was not a Liberian citizen and that he was “rude” and failed to cooperate. And for the immigration officers, the only way to deal with Imam Kromah was beat him up and dehumanize him. Liberian security forces are always ruthless, untrained, heartless, uncouth, draconian, disrespectful of the rule of law, inordinately aggressive and excessive in their display of their naked power.

This callous and illegal act of the Immigration officers assigned in the Karnplay area is detestable and an abuse to the rights of Imam Kromah. No officer has the right to attack a peace citizen especially when there was not agitation from the Imam. Even appalling is the fact that the Imam is a voting member of the Liberian population, and he said he did vote during the last elections, as explained by the Imam that he had sent for his voter’s registration card when the immigration officers attacked and brutalized him.

The government of Liberia is held directly responsible for the hardnosed act of abuse. The government must ensure the safety of Imam Ansu Kromah, make sure that he is sent to the hospital to take treatment, and the government must underwrite the medical bills.

We cannot continue to witness our security forces brutalizing citizens of Liberia, and go with impunity. Therefore, the government must take every measure to launch an investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice for assaulting a peaceful citizen. It is even unthinkable that those untrained officers could maltreat a Minister of Allah, and think that they will go with impunity. Justice must be done now to serve as a deterrent for others in the future.

Thanks