GBARNGA, Bong County — A correspondent for Verity News has accused officers of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) of assaulting him and damaging his mobile phone while he was covering a traffic accident in Gbarnga on Friday night.
Journalist Matalay Kollie said the incident occurred around 10:25pm as he conducted a live broadcast from the scene of a collision involving an LIS pickup truck, bearing license plate number GSA LIS 05-17, and a private Nissan Pathfinder owned by a man identified only as Moses.
According to preliminary reports, the immigration vehicle was attempting to enter the main road from a parked position when it was struck by the Pathfinder, which was traveling from the Monrovia direction. Both drivers reportedly claimed they had the right of way.
Kollie said he began broadcasting live to draw the attention of the Liberia National Police as the dispute intensified. Shortly afterward, two traffic officers from the Gbarnga Police Detachment arrived to investigate.
While the live coverage was ongoing, two immigration officers allegedly confronted the journalist and seized one of his mobile phones, arguing that he lacked permission to record the incident. Kollie further alleged that the device was damaged during the confrontation before being handed over to police investigators.
Police have instructed the journalist to report to the Gbarnga Police Station for further investigation. As of press time, the Liberia Immigration Service had not issued a statement on the allegations.
