Africa-Press – Liberia. Paynesville– Police in Paynesville have arrested seven persons in connection to brutality meted against two employees of the Paynesville City Corporation (PCC) Waste Management Department.
The incident happened after the PCc staff had gone to confront them for illegally disposing waste at a site just cleaned by the city government.
Those arrested are Tonny Moses, Alfred Tokpah, Patrick Scott, and Alex Dah-yah and were charged for aggravated assault, while Kemah Weah, Samuel T. Smith, and Bendu Smith were charged for obstruction of the city management functions.
The PCC staff were attacked on Wednesday, August 18, at the Kende Town Community along the RIA Highway. They were brutalized, leading to severe wounds on their heads and other body parts.
According to eyewitnesses, the PCC Waste Management staff were three, but Aminata Konnehand Emmanuel Dahn had attempted stopping a fellow, which resulted into him resisting and allegedly hitting the PCC staff with the shovel he had.
Few minutes later he was later joined by others residents, whom according to the Paynesville City Corporation, overpowered the Waste Management staff and wounded two of the three who were on the scene.
“While conducting their normal garbage collection along the RIA route, Aminata Konneh and Emmanuel Dahn encountered a man who is yet to be identified dumping waste at an illegal dumping site that was just cleaned. In the process, Konneh confronted the man and asked why he was dumping garbage at an illegal dumpsite; especially the site was just cleaned by PCC team few minutes ago, and the man without any justifiable reason started fighting the PCC employees and was later joined by others from the community in the fight,” PCC’s Director of Press Jeremiah Diggen told FrontPageAfrica Thursday.
Some eyewitnesses who were on the scene of the incident also confirmed to FrontPageAfrica that the two were beaten with shovel and sticks that had nails attached, which resulted to severe bodily wounds on them.
“The beating and subsequent injuries of our employees undermine the effort to clean garbage in the City,” Diggen added.
Diggen further empathized with those affected and described it as frustrating and dangerous that some individuals will choose to circumvent the cleanliness of their community that is being made unhygienic by them.
Those arrested by the Paynesville City Police in connection to the incident, following a preliminary investigation, have been turned over to the Liberia National Police for further investigation, before being sent to court.
The situation occurred few weeks after the Paynesville City Corporation warned residents of the city against illegal garbage disposal, during the clearing of a huge stockpile of garbage at the Gobachop Community.
During that exercise, Diggen started that unless the mindset of residents is positive towards ensuring a clean environment, the issues of waste management will always pose a challenge to the city.
The Paynesville City Communication Director encouraged residents against illegal garbage disposal, adding that those found culpable will be fined or face prosecution.
