Africa-Press – Liberia. The Liberian Legislature comprising the the Senate and House of Representatives, have commended the Monrovia City Court for the guilty verdict brought down against a group calling itself the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) for exhibiting barbaric and ruthless acts against the Legislature.
The Senate and the House of Representatives said the decision of the Court is a precedence that serves as a deterrence to individuals or groups who may want to take the law in their own hands.
According to ruling, the Court’s decision was consistence with Sections 11.16, 14.21 and 17.3 of the criminal procedure law of Liberia which, according to Judge Jomah Jallah, found the defendants guilty of the crimes of Simple Assault, Terroristic Threat, Felonious Restraint and Disorderly Conduct.
In August, the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice alleged that during a protest staged by the pressure group the Economic Freedom Fighter of Liberia, the group rained insults publicly and intentionally broke the lock before installing their own chains with locks with the intent to terrorize the public, staff, and employees of the legislature which led the government to file in a complaint against the group to the Stipendiary Magistrate of the Monrovia City Court.
The Court then ordered the arrest of the Commander-in-Chief of the EFFL, Emmanuel Gonguoi and others who participated in the protest on the grounds of the Capitol Building. According to Court documents, the action of the EFFL leader and others is unlawful, wicked, illegal, violent, and intentional.
The writ also said, the EFFL member’s action violates sections 11.16 of the amended act, section 14.21 and 17.3 of the new penal law of Liberia there and then the crime herein.
The court writ narrates: “You are hereby commanded to arrest the living bodies of Emmanuel Gonquoi and others to be identified, and forthwith bring them before the Monrovia City Court, Temple of Justice to answer to the charge of terroristic threats, simple assault, felonious restraint, and disorderly conduct”.
The writ stated further that during the period of July 21, 2021, at about 5:30 AM, in the area of the Capitol Hill/Capitol Bypass, city of Monrovia, Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia, Gonquoi, and others being a group dressed in red T-shirts said to have come from the economic Freedom fighters headed by Gonquoi went on the premises of the Capitol Building and purposely with violence attacked the gate of the Capitol Building opposite the Executive Mansion. Accordingly, they beat and inflicted wounds and injuries on the security guards assigned there.
The writ also said the alleged act of the Gonquoi and others being unlawful, wicked, illegal, violent, and international is in violation of sections 11.16 of the amended act, section 14.21 and 17.3 of the new penal law of Liberia there and then the crime herein did and commit.
Gonquoi and his men were then charged with Terroristic threats, Simple assault, Felonious restraint, and Disorderly conduct. It can be recalled that the EFFL leader and his group members placed the Capitol Building gate under siege on July 22, 2021, thereby locking the two entrances to the building, something, which was seen as a terroristic act.
Gonquoi had gone to lock the gate of the Capitol and when a call was placed for backup, they fled the scene. They stormed the Legislature at dawn, calling on Legislators to return US$30,000 they received for Legislative engagements.
The EFFL members then locked the main entrance of the Legislature for a short while and later escaped as a result of intervention by the Liberia National Police.
The incident led to a scuffle between the securities assigned at the capitol and the members of the EFFL as a result some of the securities sustaining injuries. The Sergeant-At-Arms of the House of Representatives then ordered the arrest of Gonquoi for alleged act of terrorism.
Addressing the media recently, the Sergeant-At-Arms, Martin Johnson said Gonquoi needed to explain why he besieged the Capitol Building and prevented Legislators’ entry to their offices.
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