Report by Kennedy L. Yangian, klyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com
Monrovia – Officers of the Liberian National Police (LNP) have arrested two men, who are alleged to have been involved in the wave of car theft around the city.
The two men are now in jail pending prosecution in court.
Police over the weekend forwarded the alleged criminals — Jeff Romane, a Nigerian and Abraham Konneh alias ‘VIP,’ a Liberian — to the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice, on charges of auto theft, theft of property, criminal conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person.
The arrest of the two men by the police after months of massive search, brought joy to the victims, who were present in court to identify their vehicles.
“I thank the police for retrieving my car that was stolen by these guys six months ago but I will press for damages because I understand that ‘VIP’, who bought my car, was using it for commercial purposes,” said a female victim, who spoke to this paper. She asked for anonymity fearing reprisal.
Some of the stolen vehicles, which are currently in the care of the Monrovia City Court, are a yellow Toyota Sedan 1993 model, TX 0710, Chasis #JT2AE09WXPOO42417, Nissan Sedan model 1995, Chasis #JN1BAN15U00190, green in color and Toyota Corolla yellow in color model 1990 Chasis #2T1BR1XC226307, TX 6121.
Musa Kamara, one of those whose cars were allegedly stolen on Thursday, January 18, told the police in his complaint that about GMT15:30 while on his way to Monrovia from Red-light with his vehicle he met a fellow on the road, who asked him to charter his car for two hours.
Kamara continued that he and the fellow discussed and agreed on US$20 for the two hours but while on their way to Congo Town to get the fellow’s air conditioner, he stopped at the Monoprix Supermarket and bought two bottles of extra juice.
Victim Kamara furthered that when they arrived at the Boulevard Junction in Congo Town, the fellow took him to a nearby entertainment center named the “Facebook” where he offered him one of the bottles of juice bought from the supermarket.
“The extra juice that the fellow gave me when I drank it, I went unconscious for several hours and could not remember anything, upon regaining my consciousness, I realized that the fellow had criminally made away with my vehicle along with some personal effects.”
Another victim, Nelson Gobah, is a resident of 20th Street in Sinkor and a commercial driver.
Gobah told police that during a late hour on Saturday, February 17, while driving on Broad Street, he met a man, who decided to charter him for L$800 from Broad Street to Old Road. On their way to Old Road, this fellow asked him to make a stop on the 17th Street, where he purchased few paper-cans of “Pure Heaven.”
According to him when they arrived on the Old Road, this man asked him to park the car and await his girlfriend, who was on her way to them. He stated that while waiting, his passenger gave him one of the cans of juice.
“After I drank the juice, I immediately went to sleep during which time the unknown man criminally made away with my vehicle and some personal effects.”
According to the police, when defendant Romane was asked to comment on the series of allegations made against him by the vehicles’ owners, he allegedly admitted to the act.
Romane claimed that after he made away with those vehicles, he took them to the second defendant Abraham Konneh and sold them for US$500 each. The police further alleged that Romane admitted to using a drug (diazepam) to drug his victims before making away with their vehicles.
The police charge sheet states that when Konneh, a mechanic by profession, was also asked about the allegation made against him, he allegedly admitted. He narrated that while sitting at his Jacob Town residence in between February and April, defendant Romane came to him with several vehicles at separate occasions for sale which he bought some for US$600 and another for US$500 respectively.
Police claimed that in view of the facts and circumstances gathered during the investigation coupled with the voluntary admission statements made by defendants, Romane and Konneh, which resulted to the retrieval of the three vehicles, the investigation resulted to charge defendant Romane with the crimes of criminal conspiracy, auto theft/ theft of property and recklessly endangering another person in contravention of 10.4, 15.51&14.23.
While Konneh, aka ‘VIP,’ is charged with criminal conspiracy and facilitation, auto theft/ theft of property, which violates 10.4, 10.2 and 15.51 of the revised Penal Law of Liberia pending court action.