Monrovia, Liberia – A public apology by the Liberia National Police (LNP) over the actions of police assigned to the CDC headquarters during their protest over the weekend was rejected by former Liberian President George Manneh Weah as “unsolicited and unwarranted.”
The Office of the former President stated in a statement released on Monday, April 14, that it was baffled by the LNP’s decision to make an apology for the “unprofessional conduct” of officers who were sent to the CDC’s due-payment program along the Tubman Boulevard over the weekend.
According to Mr. Weah’s office, no complaint was filed with the LNP about the behavior of the security guards during the event or any other infraction. The CDC believes that the LNP’s uninvited apology is unjustified and may have hidden political and malevolent agendas.
According to the statement, everyone of the former president’s security detail acted professionally during the orderly and nonviolent rally, and allegations to the contrary were rejected as unfounded. The police received criticism by former president Weah office for depending on unofficial information and speculations on social media rather than contacting his office directly to get clarity.
In order to confirm claims of wrongdoing, the LNP turned to social media and unofficial “reports,” instead of contacting the former president’s office directly, the statement said. The LNP and other state security agencies were cautioned by the former president to carefully follow its professional duties and avoid politicizing their responsibilities.
The message cautioned that even while the former president is still law-abiding, he will not stand by if state organizations try to use deceit or amateurish methods to intimidate him. The sight of armed police personnel carrying out what seemed to be VIP security duties a function formally assigned to the Executive security Service (EPS) raised public worries, the LNP claimed earlier Monday.
Although the police acknowledged that the LNP had policemen assigned to high-profile people, including previous presidents, their duties were restricted to crowd control, traffic management, and upholding public order. The Liberia National Police said in the statement that it takes this issue seriously and would do all in its power to guarantee that officers fulfill their duties and obligations going forward.
However, Weah’s administration believed the apology was inappropriate and unnecessary, and worse, it smelt of political mischief. According to the statement, “this unsolicited apology not only sets a dangerous precedent but also raises concerns about the real motives behind the police’s actions.”
