The Liberia National Police (LNP) has dismissed one of its officers involved in a shooting that resulted in the death of a minor in Paynesville.
Addressing reporters at LNP Headquarters on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Monrovia, Police Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman expressed profound regret over the death of 17-year-old James Kandy.
IG Coleman stated that while the LNP aims to protect life and property, this incident resulted in the loss of a minor’s life.
The officer involved was immediately forwarded to the professional standards division of the LNP for investigation.
Reading from the investigative report, Coleman noted that the officer’s actions were in direct violation of the LNP’s standard operating procedures.
The report stated that the officer violated the LNP Manual on discharging firearms on peaceful civilians, especially when his life was not in danger.
The report recommended the immediate dismissal of the officer involved.
According to IG Coleman, he has approved the dismissal letter, and the officer has been dismissed and forwarded to the CID section of the police for criminal investigation.
The officer has been charged with negligent homicide for his actions that led to Kandy’s death.
The police reassured their commitment to protecting lives and property.
Coleman emphasized that while the police cannot control individual behavior, they will ensure that any officer who operates against professional standards faces the full weight of the law.
He stated that the police would not support any officer who commits wrongdoing.
Coleman also expressed profound sympathy to the family of the late James Kandy.
It can be recalled that James Kandy was shot dead in Paynesville city.
Mayama Kamara, the mother of James Kandy, described her son as the pillar of her strength and urged the government to ensure fair justice for her family.
She explained that James had built their house without any assistance and that the family sold items like bitter balls, plantain chips, and coal to survive, with James contributing by selling phone minutes.
Eyewitnesses recounted that the officer, identified only as Trawally, under the orders of Mawolo Jallah, went to arrest two individuals after a heated exchange.
According to eyewitness accounts, the suspects were in a ghetto area, and the PSU was there to execute the arrest, not for a drug raid.
They narrated that when the officers tried to place the suspects in Jallah’s car, friends of the suspects objected, leading to a verbal altercation.
Angered, Officer Trawally pursued the friends and began shooting.
By: G. Watson Richards
