Monrovians Terrified By Killings

Tepitapia Sannah, PANA Correspondent
MONROVIA, Liberia (PANA) - Reports of overnight killings, brutalities and lawlessness in and around Monrovia in recent months continue to terrify residents.

The latest of such murders took place in Monrovia's Paynesville suburb where unidentified armed men shot and killed a male resident shortly after midnight Thursday last week.

Monrovia dailies, quoting witnesses, said the killings were carried out by heavily armed men wearing masks.

''A vehicle with blinking lights drove in our area at about 0:45 gmt. I peeped through the window, and saw men with arms. After they passed, we heard three gunshots followed by complete silence,'' a resident, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal, said.

Another added: ''I heard the first gunshot, then a man's voice asking for mercy, then another two shots and there was no more begging and yelling.''

No one has been arrested, although witnesses said an identification card belonging to David Lanrando, a member of the presidential Special Security Service, was found on the scene of the murder.

A female witness said the victim was bodyguard to former justice minister Laveli Supuwood, an indictee for treason, who is currently outside the country.

In a related development, a police officer last week used an AK-47 rifle to shoot dead his spouse before shooting hinself to death in Monrovia's eastern Duala suburb.

Police said they are investigating the double murder.

A marketer, Madam Nowai Flomo, who was adducted from home at night by men believed to be Special Security Service officers June, has not been found nor arrests made in connection with her disappearance.

Meanwhile, armed robbers, who broke into the home of a resident on Duport Road in Paynesville, cut off the right ear of their victim, and made away with 39,000 Liberian dollars (about 975 US dollars) last week.

Monrovia dailies also continue to report widespread lawlessness and harassment, even among government officials.

President Charles Taylor last week suspended deputy post and telecommunications minister, Barbara Gonkatee, for assaulting her boss, Maxwelll Kaba.

''Gonkatee slapped me twice in the face and hit me in the chest,'' Kaba complained in a letter to Taylor.

Another victim of security brutality in recent weeks, Boakai Johnson, had narrated how he was ''tied, brutalized and burnt with hot-red iron rod'' by state security officers.

The Liberian Senate has expressed grave concern about these reports, saying ''even senators are constantly subjected to harassment by members of the security.''

The Senate is still pursuing contempt charges against police director Joe Tate following the beating of the chief clerk at the senate by senior police officers.

Tate was temporarily suspended for unexplained ''administrative reasons'' but Taylor later reinstated him.