Rep. Collins and Rep. Debee have accused the Minister of Justice and Liberia’s Police Chief of allegedly ordering officers to brutalize them.
Monrovia, December 23, 2024: Two members of the House of Representatives have separately filed complaints before the Independent National Commission of Human Rights (INCHR) against two government institutions.
Gbarpolu County Electoral District #2 Rep. Luther Sandy Collins and Grand Gedeh County Electoral District #3 Rep. Jacob Cheategbea Debee have accused the Ministry of Justice of ordering the Liberia National Police (LNP) to brutalize them.
In his communication addressed to INCHR chairperson Cllr. Dempster Brown, Rep. Debee alleged brutality, harassment, and violation of his constitutional rights by members of the LNP on the alleged orders of Justice Minister Cllr. Oswald Tweh on December 9, 2024.
At about 9 am on Monday, December 9, 2024, Debee said he was at his office on Capitol Hill for his usual constitutional responsibilities, citing law-making, representation, and advocacy.
At that time, Debee said he heard about another group on the same floor where his office allegedly performs “legislative duties.”
“Curious to know what was going on, I came out of my office and saw a group of well-armed
officers believed to be members of the Liberia National Police,” Rep. Debee wrote.
For more than two hours, Debee said Capitol Hill was tear-gassed, and the police allegedly brutalized him.
He complained that they pulled his clothes with excessive force and batons for getting out of his office to perform the duties he was elected to perform.
On 9 December, tension erupted on Capitol Hill when some lawmakers and their supporters tussled with police officers who were stationed outside a chamber during a budget hearing.
The House of Representatives has been engulfed in months of political turmoil, and a majority bloc has dethroned House Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa. Still, the move has been challenged amid a controversial Supreme Court ruling.
Koffa has denounced his removal as illegal, but a Supreme Court intervention did not solve the problem.
The majority bloc elected Montserrado County Representative Richard Nagbe Koon as the new House Speaker, under whose gable the 2025 National Budget was passed last week.
During the tussle with police, Rep. Debee continued that the furniture and equipment at the reception of his office were all destroyed.
“My staff and visitors were held hostage for more than two hours,” complained further.
“Honorable Chairperson, these were not only violations of my right to associate, move, and
represent my people,” he stated.
Debee lamented that these acts caused him physical harm.
For his part, Rep. Collins requested the INCHR to investigate the Minister of Justice and the Police Chief, Col. Gregory Coleman, for allegedly brutalizing him for no reason.
Collins alleged that he was beaten while attempting to attend a hearing for the 2025 National Budget.
Collins said he sustained bruises while one of his office staff Eric Scott’s left hand got broken from the alleged brutalities.
Following the incident, Rep. Collins said he and Scott were admitted at the Hope of Women clinic located in Paynesville.
