Africa-Press – Liberia. A British national and owner of Palm Spring Resort hotel, has narrowly escaped death after two plain clothes men attempted kidnapping him to an unknown place on Christmas Eve.
They also said that they had gone to effect an arrest order based on a writ of arrest from Paynesville court. Mr. Najib Kamand, was rescued by security at the hotel and employees after the two men with pistols went to the hotel to forcibly arrest him.
One of the two officers, William Deman, pulled out his gun and pointed it at the hotel’s staff and onlookers causing fear and panic. When one of the plain clothes men (who they later realized they were officers) saw the manager leaving the hotel, ran and attempted forcing him out of the car.
But he was resisted by hotel security who later overpowered him; thus leaving his gun to drop away from him. He later called his other friend to inform the deputy police director that they were under attack.
Speaking to a team of reporters, on Monday, the hotel manager said the hotel has been under massive renovation since May of 2021, after it was shut down in 2020.
Due to the renovation, it kept a few security staff. But theft had been on the increase at the hotel thus compelling the management to step up security.
The backup officers, upon arrival at the hotel, saw that the case of the arrest document was fake, hence they advised the two persons, whom they later realized were officers, to leave.
Some witnesses alleged that the officers flashed their ID’s, but still no names were given. After intense discussions on their identification, one of them said that the instruction to arrest Najib Kamand came from the deputy police director, madam Sadatu Reeves office.
This could not be verified as her phone which appeared to be on roaming mode rang without answer. Employees there told reporters that Deputy Director Reeves (101) lived in the Presidential Suite at Palm Spring with her boyfriend, Mr.
Joe Kporto from 2019 to 2020 for free. Prior to Deputy Director Reeves moving into Palm Spring, Mr. Kporto had been living there too for free since 2018 and became the Manager of the hotel in 2019.
The Deputy Director of Administration 101, according to employees, both Deputy Director Reeves and Kpoto co-managed the hotel. But they both departed on a bad note.
Details remain unknown. When this paper contacted police spokesman Moses Carter for comments, he promised to get back once he established contact with his boss.
The management has officially reported the case to the police Central office awaiting investigation. Due to the seriousness of the case, the manager had informed the British Embassy and the Liberia National Police for investigation.
Top officers at the police confided in this paper that they will look into the case as this has the potential to put a bad image on the country’s investment climate.
“Palm Spring hotel is one of the best we have here and they have been doing some renovation work.
So, for any reason if anyone has an issue with them, they should do the right thing but not to put police into it,” the source who declined to be named said.
It was later established by one of the hotel lawyers, Cllr Swaliho Sesay, when he arrived on the scene along with the owner, Palm Springs that the Writ of Arrest was fake.
The manager escaped but was said to be traumatized. “I am not really myself now. I am worried and afraid. I am trembling now as I am talking to you,” he said.
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