The Liberia National Police (LNP) says it has arrested four individuals for alleged armed robbery following a shootout between the suspects and officers of Emergency Respond Unit (ERU) of the Liberia National Police which led to the death of the one of the robbers early Saturday morning in the Mount Barclay area.
A police statement released in Monrovia Sunday named the alleged robbers as Jonatten Dosin, 34, of the Krahn tribe, Emmanuel Peter, 24 of the Gio tribe, Charles Doewee, 26 of the Gio tribe and Prince Mendee, 30 of the Kissi tribe.
Charles Dowee is a former officer of the Police Support Unit (PSU). Dowee was dismissed by police authority following his involvement in acts unbecoming of a police officer while police record shows that Jonatten Dosin is a former officer of the Special Operation Division of the Liberia National Police doing the regime of former President Charles Taylor.
The LNP statement quotes the Deputy Inspector General of Police for Operations Abraham Kromah as saying that the police response to the scene was effective following calls from members of the community calling on the police to come to their rescue as the robbers held their home under hostage requesting money and other valuable items.
Kromah said following the response of the police ERU unit to the crime scene they came under fire from the armed robbers and at which time one of the robbers was shot and later pronounced dead upon arrival at the John F. Kennedy Hospital in Monrovia.
The Inspector General for Operations said he was delighted that the Liberia National Police has been able to reduce its response time to crime scene which made it possible for the police to arrest the four men who are currently undergoing police investigations in Monrovia.
“It takes us less than ten minutes now to respond to crime scene anywhere around the country”, the Deputy police boss noted.
Director Kromah said doing the operation the police recovered two single barrel gun pistols with several round of shots from the crime scene in Mount Barclay outside Monrovia.
The Deputy Police Inspector General said the police will not relent in the execution of its duty in line with its mandate and called on community dwellers to remain helpful in helping the police combat crimes from the Liberian society in the wake of logistic problems confronting the police force in the country.
He stressed that in the wake of the drawdown of the United Nations Mission in Liberia, it was significant for members of the public to rally around the police in giving credible information that will help the police in the prevention of crimes.
“Thanks to the people of Mount Barclay for calling the police; we will encourage other community dwellers to do the same which will eventually help the police fight crime from our society,” he commented.
The police has also arrested an alleged gun dealer in Monrovia. The Nigerian national was arrested following a tipoff and is currently in police custody at the Police Headquarters in Monrovia undergoing police interrogations. The Nigerian has so far admitted to bring weapons into the country. According to police records, single barrels guns are predominantly being used by armed robbers to carry out attacks on residents of Monrovia and its environs.
At the same time, the Deputy Inspector General of Police for Operations has justified the launch of “Operations Save Haven” stating that the operation has brought some relief to the country by the reduction of crimes and the creation of confidence in investors to invest in the country’s economy.
Addressing residents of West Point Saturday at a forum organized by Vision International Incorporated on why the police initiated the operation, the Kromah said since the launch of the operation lots of gains have been made, naming the reduction in ‘passenger 57’, a crime committed by criminals operating in cars without license plate, Supper Friday, and the acceptance of police officers by members of the community and the massive reduction of crimes in the country as some of the marks made so far since the launch of operation Save Haven.
He also named the imposition of night time restriction on the movement of motorbikes after 10pm, stressing that it has contributed greatly to the reduction in armed robbery activities. He told his audience that investigation shows that motorbikes were greatly used by robbers in committing crimes against peaceful people in the country. Meanwhile, the LNP is expected to, on today Monday, release the names of some of Liberians it considers ‘notorious criminals’ who are on the run.
