Police Launch Investigation Into A Brutal Attack On Another Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) Employee Who was Brutalized by Unknown Men.

Police in Monrovia are investigating the gruesome attack and brutality meted against an employee of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) by unknown persons around Nyanfor town, Patience Shop Community, in Gardnersville, outside Monrovia.

The victim, identified as one Moses Jallah, is a staff of Customs and works with the anti-smuggling unit of the LRA.

He was recently assigned at the Freeport of Monrovia, as part of the Destination Inspection (DI) sight team. The Destination Inspection sight team of LRA anti-smuggling unit usually inspects containers on sight.

Mr. Jallah was attacked around 8pm, on Monday, May 10.

Photos in the possession of FrontPage Africa show multiple deep cuts on the back of the head, mouth, eyebrows, chin and face of the victim.

He was seen lying in a pool of blood.

Police Spokesman Moses Carter disclosed that no suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.

He told FrontPageAfrica via telephone that the LNP will do its best to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.

“The police have launched an investigation and I cannot give you a specific timeframe of the investigation. But all I can promise is that, we will do our best to arrest the perpetrators”.

LRA shocked

In a statement issued Tuesday evening, the LRA expressed shock over the incident.

According to family sources, Mr. Jallah has been stabilized and is currently receiving treatment at a local health facility.

The LRA further empathized with the family and wishes Mr. Moses Jallah speedy recovery.

“The LRA strongly condemns such cruel act meted against peaceful citizens. The LRA will follow up with the investigation and provide details though it’s Communications, Media, and public affairs section”, the release issued stated.

The latest incident brings to four the number of times employees of the LRA have been victimized by unknown persons for undisclosed reasons in less than seven months.

Albert and Gifty

Two LRA employees, Mr. Albert Peters, Assistant Commissioner, Internal Audit Division (IAD) and Mrs. Gifty Ashma Lama, Manager, Taxpayer Services were discovered death in the back seat of a car on Snapper Hill, Broad Street, Monrovia during the morning hours of October 2.

Both of them had gone missing almost 24 hours prior to the discovery of their remains in the vehicle.

Following mounting public outcries and suspicions of foul play, the government initiated an autopsy which was conducted by Dr. Benedict B. Kolee and Dr. Zoeborn B. Kpadeh-who are employees of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center owned and operated by the Liberian government.

The autopsy report released by the government claimed that the duo died of Carbon Monoxide and Inhaling Gasoline.

George Fahnbutu

Two days later after the remains of Albert and Gifty were discovered in the vehicle, another auditor from the Large Tax Division at the LRA, Mr. George Fahnbutu reportedly died in a tragic motor accident along the 72nd boulevard road in Paynesville.

But family members rejected the report and claimed that the victim was allegedly cut in his head by some unknown individuals on a motor bike.

The claim compelled the government to also conduct an autopsy on the remains of the victim.

The autopsy report claimed that Fahnbutu sustained injuries sustained in his head, chest and abdomen.

It attributed the cause of his death to “right frontal cerebral contusion and disruption of brain, with haemorrhages; right frontal complex depressed comminuted fracture; vehicle in head collision and side impact with house; and road traffic accident”.

Fear has reportedly gripped employees of the LRA and other anti-graft institutions in Liberia following the latest incident involving Anti-Smuggling Officer Moses Jallah of the LRA.

Liberia, a post conflict nation, continues to be faced with the growing wave of lawlessness in the society as evidenced by the regular broad day light robbery and snatching of valuable items and properties of peaceful citizens by some commercial motorcyclists, increase in deaths as a result of mob violence, secret killings and attacks, among others.

It remains unclear whether or not the perpetrators of the latest act permeated against officer Jallah will be arrested and brought to justice in a timely manner in the wake of persistent complaints of the lack of logistical support to the security sector and the thorough implementation of the laws on the book by the courts to serve as deterrence to other would-be perpetrators.

Source: FPA