By Grace Q. Bryant
The Magisterial Court in Salala, Margibi County has issued an arrest order for the Superintendent of Margibi County, Jerry Varney and others on an alleged charge of felonious restraint.
Associate Magistrate Aaron Y. Fallah’s Writ of Arrest also included the Weala Township Commissioner, Roland S. Johnson; Cinta Clan Chief, Musu N. Yango, Andrew N. Yancy and Alvin Konneh charged for criminal conspiracy, impersonating officials and criminal trespass.
Cinta Clan Chief, Musu N. Yango is said to be the only defendant that has been arrested and forwarded to court pending trial.
Superintendent Varney and his companions were charged by authorities of the Liberian National Police (LNP) based on a complaint filed by a British Businessman Hans Armstrong.
Defendant Varney Johnson, Yango and Konneh are expected to appear in Court on Friday, 13, 2023 in Margibi County.
The police charge sheet claimed that Commissioner Johnson criminally conspired with defendants Varney and Yango and by instructing defendants Yancy and Freeman to criminally trespass the private premises of Mr. Armstrong, the British businessman.
The court’s document revealed that defendants Freeman and Yancy purported to be inspectors from the Ministry of Mines and Energy sent to carry out an inspection on the earth moving equipment belonging to the British businessman without his consent.
The document, among other things, further alleged that on November 24 and 29, 2022, defendants Johnson and Yancy visited the office’ of Mr. Armstrong’s lawyer, the International Law Group, where defendant Johnson said he (Johnson) represent the residents of Weala Township and asserted that they needed some financial settlement before Armstrong can remove any of his earth moving equipment from the township.
“It was established by the investigation that there is no social agreement signed between former MHM Eko Liberia, of which Armstrong is a representative and that of the citizens of Weala Township,” the police charge sheet claimed.
The documents maintained that since there was no social agreement, there was no need to prevent Armstrong from removing his earth moving equipment out of the township to any location he chooses, and there are no financial obligations or debts accrued from former MHM Eko Liberia by Armstrong owe the citizens of the township as being alleged by defendant Johnson.
“The investigation established that Johnson’s action feloniously restrained Armstrong from removing his earth moving equipment from the township on grounds that he (Armstrong) should settle the residents of Weala Township because former MHM Eko Liberia dug the ground,” the documents claimed.
According to the court records, Varney, Yango and Freeman failed to make known their presence at the investigation, after receiving a formal invitation regarding the law firm allegation.
“In view of the foregoing facts and circumstances, couple with the voluntary statements obtained, witnesses’ testimonials and background inquiry, the investigation resolved to charge defendants Johnson, Varney and Yango with crimes of criminal conspiracy and felonious restraint in violation of chapter 10 and 14, section 10.4 and 14.51 respectively of the panel law of Liberia” the court records alleged.
In the document, defendants Yancy and Freeman were charged with the commission of the crimes of criminal conspiracy, impersonating officials and criminal trespass, which are in violation of Chapter 10,12 and 15, sections 10.4, 12.35 and 15.21 respectively of the panel law of Liberia.
