DROWNING:

On 4^th  Oct, 2005, Un Police Operations Coordinator, UN ID Number CP 254 was on routine visit of all the Liberian National  Police Stations located in Monrovia city At Station number 2, they met the Chief of Police who his name as John. He was in charge of  this station since the war ended in the year 2003. Since then there has never been any serious incident like the one that occurred on the last day in the month of September 2005, in which a boy of six years drowned in the lagoon.

The boy is the only child of his 32 years old mother whose husband died during the war in 1999. She was a fish seller in the fish market located 50 meters from the Atlantic Ocean. The mother and her son lived in the Blue house beside the Police Station. The Mother usually works in the market place and the boy normally goes to school. On that Fateful day , however, all the schools were closed due to a holiday. There was no one at home, the boy went to the market place with his mother at 0800 hours. While the mother was busy with the costumers, he left without telling her and headed to the beach. His mother has always been too busy with her business to notice this. As usual, she again did not know when her son left for the beach until about an hour later when she realized that the boy did  not take breakfast and that she brought some food from home. The boy could not be seen anywhere around the market. She searched everywhere , but couldn’t find him. Her friend advised her to report to the police. She did as her friend had  advised and the Police together with all the market women started searching for the boy all over the neighborhood, but he could still not be found the body of a young male person on the sea side and altered the Police because he was aware that a child had been declared missing by the police three days earlier.

The boy’s mother who came along with the police immediately identified  the body to be that of her missing son. She recognized the black spot on the bride of his nose, which he had from birth. She also recognized the brown shorts and black sweaters as well as a small gold ring on his left forefinger. The body was taken to the General Hospital where it was confirmed after examination that the boy died of drowning. The Police Chief told the Coordinator that a number of people drown every year in the Ocean. However, this has always been in other parts of Monrovia and not in his area. He was so upset that such a tragedy has now occurred in the Area of Responsibility.

MURDER:

On Thursday, 19^th April 2007 at about 1120 hours, a shooting incident occurred in the market are of Juba, Sudan, killing one driver named Mohammed Khamis Abdullah and injuring seriously the helper named Mohammad Gamar Abdullah of lorry registration number NB 1369.

The accused was one black male, 2^nd lieutenant Thomas Achol of Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA). The accused was brought to the Juba Town Police Station by SPLA soldiers at about 1205 hrs. The SPLA soldiers also submitted an AK-47 rifle, which they had seized from the accused. The co-location team leader, UN Police Advisor Mr. Robert Simon CP # 00746, UNMIS co-located at the police station requested the local police investigation officer corporal Danial Dut to visit the crime scene and provide details of the incident. The joint investigation team, comprising of three local police officers, one UN police Advisor and one language assistant, was dispatched to the crime scene in a vehicle registration number UN 0646. The team arrived at the crime scene at about 1230 hours. Upon arrival, the team observed that neither the deceased nor the injured were present at the scene. The team searched the crime scene and recovered three empty cartridge cases and also collected blood from the scene.The team took the statements of eye witnesses and came to know that the deceased and the injure had already been transported to Juba county Hospital. The team left the crime scene at about 1308 hours and visited the injured and the deceased at about 1315 hours in the hospital. The dead body was lying in the mortuary and medical staff in operation Theater were attending the injured. The Arab community, gathered outside the operation theatre appeared angry and emotional. According to the accused’ s statement, it was on 22^nd of December 2006, when the accused‘ s wife was leading a bull with a rope tied to its neck on Juba Rumbek Highway. The bull got frightened by the sound of the horn of the lorry being driven by Mr. Mohammed Khamis Abdulah and it started to run away dragging his wife. As a result, she died. Lt Thomas Achol opened a case against Mr. Abdulah at this police station for causing the death of his wife. The case was sent to court which passed judgment todey in favour of Mr. Abdulah.

The court described the death of his wife as an incident and acquitted him. Lt Achol became very angry at the court’s verdict. Later he approached Mr. Abdulah outside the court at the transport Terminal and asked him for monetary compensation. Mr. Abdulkah refused to do so. Suddenly Lt Achol opened fire on Mr. Khamis Abdulah tried to intervene bet he was also shot by Lt Achol in the stomach receiving one bullet. He is seriously injured. After the incident Mr. Achol tried to escape, but he was surrounded and captured by SPLA soldiers. The team came back to the police station at about 1415 hours. The investigation officer corporal Deniel Dut also recorded the statement of the accused at the police station. The co-location team leader UN Police Advisor Mr. Robert Simon CP 00746 interviewed corpal Dut to gathet details pertaining to the incident.         

BULGLARY:

At 02 PM on Friday,28^th December 2001, CIVPOL officer Joan Green received a radio message to meet with a UN staff member at the house located at number-5, Portugal Avenue. Officer Green proceeded to that location and spoke with the occupant of the house. Her name was Mary Smith and she works as an Administrative Officer to the World Food Program (WFP). Her mobile no. is 0418793425. Ms. Smith related that she had gone to Darwin Australia to attend a meeting and was gone from house for two days.

While she was away, someone broke through the kitchen door located at the rear of the house and stole a 21” Sony television valued at 800$, a JVC Video Cassette Recorder valued at 300$ and a small Sony Stereo with two matching speakers valued at 200$. All of these items had been at living room area of the house. Ms. Smith also informed Officer Green that two weeks prior to this date, she had been awakened at approximately 6:30 am in the morning by the sound of breaking glass. She found that window had been broken at the storage area of the kitchen and one of the metal security bars had been removed from the window. Since this was an apparent burglary attempt she notified the police and made a report at that time. Because of the previous breaking attempt, Ms. Smith feared that there would be further break-ins and she arranged for the owner of the house, Jose Cruz, to stay at the house while she was away in Darwin. However Jose Cruz, had to leave the house on this day in order to take his sick daughter to the hospital. He left the house at approximately 0800 hours and did not return until 11:45. When he returned, he discovered that the house had been broken into and the items removed.  He met Ms. Smith at the airport at one o’clock in the afternoon and told her about the burglary. Ms. Smith then called Dili Station and requested police to come to the house in order to make the report. Entering into the house was made through the kitchen door at the rear of the house which was forced open apparently by kicking the door. The thieves also entered into the bed room where they searched into the personal effects looking for money or jewellery.

 However, nothing else appeared to have been stolen. Ms. Smith advised that she will locate the serial number of the missing items and forward that information to office Green to be included in the report. Officer Green gave Ms. Smith the case number of the incident. The case number is Delta India Lima (DIL) 739. He then returned to Dili Station where he made his report. Officer Green plans to the area with an interpreter and a Timorese police Officer in order to interview the neighbor to attain additional information. 

RIOT:

On Sunday 12^th March 2006 some members of the Liberian Progressive Party gathered on the Central Stadium of Monrovia. There were 45 men and 32 women. A senior member of the party was addressing them at the top of his voice because there was no microphone. He told them that the main aim of this gathering was to show the newly elected president that they were completely disappointed in the manner in which she was making appointments into her cabinet. He stated that none of the portfolios was reserved for party members.

According to him 75 percent of those appointed have not lived in Liberia within the past ten to fifteen years. They were even not in the party in the early days of political campaign. He told them that the president even refused to grant him audience to enable him discuss these issues with her. He proposed a demonstration to protest these shortcomings on the president. When he had finished addressing the crowd, some senior and ordinary members of the party spoke in turns, expressing their opinions regarding the issues raised by the first speaker. One third of the party members spoke in support for the president and her policies, arguing that all the appointments were made on merit, for the good of Liberia and Liberians. They pleaded with those who were complaining to be patient with president and give her all the support she needed to move the country forward. There  was confusion among them and they all dispersed. A secret meeting was later held by some of the members who were calling for a demonstration, on the next day 13^th March, 2006. At 1000 hrs the next day about 55 party members gathered in front  of the presidential palace. Like the previous day, there was no permit from the justice minister for this gathering as required by the law of Liberia. Three Liberian National Police officers on foot patrol and UN police patrol team of three officers in Nissan Patrol jeep number 461 were on duty in front of the presidential palace. The demonstrators appeared to be peaceful, but threatened to remain at the palace’s gate until the president came out to speak with them. At 11:00 hrs two 25 seater buses arrived fully loaded with people chanting solidarity songs in support of the president. The demonstrators who had gathered earlier did not pay any attention to them. The buses  had barely stopped. When they all disembarked and started attacking the demonstrators with sticks and stone. 10 people were wounded and some vehicles that brought the first group of demonstrators with sticks and stones. None of them ventured to enter the presidential palace as the president’s security operatives assisted by LNP and Un police officers stood firmly between them and the gates. A sistress call was made to  the radio room.

 A platoon of anti riot police officers was dispatched to the scene immediately. Upon sighting all the officers was dispatched to the scene immediately. Upon sighting he platoon, all the rioters except the wounded ran away. An ambulance that had come with the platoon took the wounded to the hospital. By 13:05 hours, peace had returned to the palace. The chairman of the party promised to convene a meeting. He vowed the perpetrators will not go unpunished.

ASSAULT:

On 21^st  November 2005 at 0900 hrs, there was an incident involving two Chinese men, one was 25 yrs and another was 27 yrs reside at 29^th st.co.5 in central Monrovia and work with the Road and Construction Company. They were walking along the street near the sports stadium, when the two men stole one of the mobile phones. One of the thieves had snatched the phone and handed it over to the other who immediately escaped.

The Chinese men caught the thief who had snatched the phone. He was 19 yrs old and around 1.76 meters tall. The other suspect was 1.79 meters tall and about the same age. The taller suspect ran to the motor park and came back with five heavily built men all were armed with sticks. The thieves and the five men started beating up the two Chinese. An attendant at a nearby Gas station informed this to ‘Zone Five” Police Inspector  General of Police. The duty officer dispatched two officers  with ID numbers 092 and 097 to the scene. The crime scene was 250 meters from the Star Radio Station. On  their arrival the officers found the two Chinese men lying on the ground. The older man had a deep cut on his left hand. The younger on had bruises all over his body. His blue jean trousers and white shirt were torn and stained with blood. Three of the attacks were escaped and remaining were arrested. The other with ID no. 092 radioed to the police station and reported about the incident and asked for ambulance. Twenty minutes later the ambulance arrived and the Two Chinese men were transported to the Jordanian Hospital.

The arrested suspects were take to the station . One of the feeling attackers was later caught by a security guard in nearby warehouse and brought to the police station. When the police chief retuned from the meeting and briefed  by the duty officer. He was very upset because the Inspector General is not happy about the increase in attacks on foreigners. He gave an instruction that all arrested suspects be taken to court the next day.

THEFT:

On the 22^nd January 2006 the LNP Central station received a complaint about a theft that had taken place at the Liberian Sierra Leonean boarder. The victim Emmanuel resides in Sierra Leone stated that he usually buys Brandy from Sierra Leone, which he sells in Liberia. He has been in this business for five years. His wife divorced him in 2002, leaving two children with him. He said from a business he feed, clothe, and educate his children.

     He reported that on 20^th January he got to the Sierra Leone’ Liberian border with nine boxes of Brandy and each box contained twelve bottle of brandy. He gave the nine boxes of Brandy and bag containing 2545 Liberian Dollars to the driver of Red Honda Accord sedan with License plate number TY 234 to transport to Monrovia. The cost of each box was 500 US Dollars. The driver advised him to walk across the border and wait for him under the big Mango tree located about 30 meters on the Liberian side of the border. This he told him was for security reasons because there is a new government in Liberia and things have changed. He believed the driver and did exactly as he told him that he saw the red Honda Accord heading toward Monrovia on the sandy road east of the border. It then became clear to him that the driver meant to steal his brandy and money because no one through that road. Emmanuel then boarded a cab to Monrovia and went straight to the motor park to wait for the driver. He inquired about the driver but no one knew. Two days later, while he was walking along Central Street, he saw the same car driver because the traffic was heavy forcing all the vehicles to a stand still. The driver was wearing the same clothes, a dark blue sleeveless T- shirt a black fez cap and a pair of blue jeans trousers.

 At the same time, he saw two UN police officers and one LNP officer on joint patrol in red and white Toyota land cruiser jeep with license plate no. 864. He ran to them and requested them to assist him. The LNP officer contacted the driver and asked him to follow them to the central police station. The driver admitted taking the nine boxes of Brandy and the bag containing money.

SAMPLE REPORT:  CHILDREN FOUND:

Brief Detail:

Type of incident: Children Kidnapping

Reported to                      U.N.A.M.I.D. base two in Darfur

Reported By:                   U.N.A.M.I.D. Patrolman Hana 12:45 hrs 16^th September 2008.

Main Report: A confidential report was passed to the Nyala U.N.A.M.I.D. base two in Darfur on the 23^th September 2008. The report stated that on the 16^th September U.N.A.M.I.D.  personnel were on duty at 12:00 hrs. in Hana situated 40 Kms from Nyala. They heard screaming from a white house they entered it and discovered twenty one boys aged between twelve and fourteen shackled in chairs to the walls and living in dreadful stinking conditions. At 12:45 hrs the patrol team radioed for support to the main base at Nyala and requested a large truck was dispatched at 13:00 hrs and it arrived at Hana at 1430 hours. On the 23^rd September the boys were fit enough to give statements. The police interviewed a boy named Salim Mukka aged 14 who had a good communication of English at Nyala U.N.A.M.I.D.  base two in Darfur at 14:00 hrs  that day.

     Salim stated he was fourteen  years of age and he was a herder from a small tribe named the Guru tribe in Min Min village a semi desert region of Darfur. He reported that on the 11^th September a group around twenty armed men came on home back to his village and started firing their rifles  into the air. His father had a small gun and threatened  the men with it. One man who was the leader of the group went up behind his father and hit him hard to the head with a rifle butt and his father fell to the ground. The men then rounded up all the younger teenage boys in the village blind folded them and tied to the long rope one by one. Salim reported that the  boys were given water twice a day and some food in the evenings.  After three days the boys were placed in the white house where they were found by the U.N.A.M.I.D. patrol. He further stated that the boys were left alone apart from a visit from one man twice a day who came with food and water.

  Salim thought one reason for the boys being kidnapped was he had heard in the past that boys were smuggled from Darfur and sold to businessmen in Nigeria to work in the Tin mines. He was able to describe any of the kidnappers only that all men were dressed in white Arab long clothes.

Footnote: U.N.A.M.I.D. personnel kept surveillance on the white house from the 16^th September on the 17^th September they arrested one man who was now in custody but failing to co-operated with police inquiries. Salim along with the other children were transported back to Min on 24^th September 2008.