As They leave Senate Chambers Under Oath, Vote of No Confidence hangs Over Police Chief, Acting Justice Minister

A stockpile of contradicting statements of themselves and each other coupled with stockpile of misinformation provided by Police Director General Patrick Suddue and Acting Justice Minister, Nyanati Tuan has prompted the Liberian Senate to consider placing a vote of no confidence in them. 

Both Director Suddue and the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean were invited by the Plenary of the Liberian Senate to sit under the Senate Committee of a Whole to provide information regarding the recent murder of a daughter of former Chief Justice Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott in an armed robbery incident, as well as the status of investigation and intervention by the police and the Justice Ministry since then. 

And as Justice Minister Dean is currently out of the country on a trip to the United States of America, Cllr. Tuan, who is also Liberia's Solicitor General, stepped in to deputize his boss. 

But on their appearance, both Col. Suddue and Tuan contradicted each other on several accounts in their testimonies to members of that august body. 

As he was taken to task by Senators for negligence of the Liberia National Police (LNP) over the death of the former Chief Justice's daughter, having previously being informed of two burglary incidents, Col. Suddue defended that though the two incidents were reported, the former Chief Justice never requested state security protection from the government, neither had she done so from the past government. 

"She has never requested security from the past government up to now. She has been without for years. She told her driver to inform the police and he informed the police. The police then informed her that the back of the fence was low and needed some extensions.  The polic advised her to have private a security and she hired two security officers from Genesis Security Service and a relative," he said. 

On this account, Cllr. Tuan provided differing view, noting that Cllr. Scott, also a former Minister of Justice and former Chairperson of the National Elections Commission (NEC), doesn't necessarily have to do a letter to the Ministry Justice of police before being protected. 

The Acting Justice Minister also informed members of the Senate about unspecified individuals that are carrying arms across the country, especially in Montserrado County, most specifically Monrovia. 

"I do not know their names and don't know where they from. I see individuals with arms and I don't know who these individuals are from. There are arms on the streets; all over the place," he revealed. 

However, this startling revelation by Cllr. Tuan was debunked by Director Suddue, who contended: "No one is carrying arm(s) in Monrovia. There is no proliferation of arms. We have arrested and will continue to arrest illegal arm."

Providing information on the state of the investigation, Col. Suddue indicated that not has been done because the main victim, Cllr. Scott has not spoken or given any account to the police police. 
"She said she was not able to talk to us for the first time we engaged her. The second time, the same. Up to now we have not been able ro talk to her. She told us today, but again, she called to let us know that her lawyers were not around and that she was not  able to talk to us. No one has been able to talk to us. Without talking with occupants, it's difficult for police to reconstruct the scen," the police chief explained. 
He was immediately brought to check by Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, who read a press release from his phone attributed to the LNP, in which quoted the former Chief Justice. 
The phone was then taken to him (Suddue) for verification, hence he authenticated that it came from Moses Carter, who is the official spokesman of the police. 
The police boss contended that the only interaction held with the victim was unofficial, a statement that angered many Senatrors, who believed that it makes no logical sense that an unofficial discussion would be placed into a press statement. 
Predicated upon the many contradictions to the Senators' queries, an intervention was made by Senator Dillon that the two witnesses be retired under oath to return before full Plenary next Tuesday with consideration of a vote of no confidence in them. 
The intervention was then tested into a motion by Grand Gedeh County Senator Emmanuel Zoe Pennue, which received the majority yea votes. 

Meanwhile, on the account of an employee of the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) being the mastermind of the attack, the LNP has announced the appearance of MCC boss Jefferson Tamba Koijee and the accused identified as Varlee Tell eh.  

"In line with the allegation made on Spoon FM, we have invited Mayor Koijee and the accused. So Mayor Koijee and Varlee will be at Central at 10:00 tomorrow morning."