By Bill W. Cooper
Serious violence ensued on yesterday between some aggrieved motorcyclists and some commercial drivers following the death of a motorcycle rider around the Barnesville-Somalia Drive.
Some eyewitness said that the violence was triggered after a public transport commonly known as ‘Killer Bean’ accidentally hit and killed a motorcyclist who was parking along the roadside moment after dropping a passenger.
According the eyewitness’ accounts, in revenge to their colleague’s death, it was when some angry motorcyclists in the area responded by setting the bus, that allegedly killed the motorcyclist, ablaze thus bringing normal activities to a standstill for over five hours.
Our eyewitness accounted that in their counter reaction also, several bus drivers in solidarity attacked and set over four motorcycles ablaze by that time, residents of the community were left with no option but to call for an immediate intervention of the police due to serious fear.
“Before the police could come, some angry killer bean drivers and owners grabbed motorcyclist who had no knowledge of what was going on after he too was carrying a passenger from Du-Port into the Barnesville Community thereby beating him and burning his bike and two other bikes at the Amagashie’s Junction around the MVTC,” the eyewitness explained.
“The angry bus driver and owners did not stop there; they went further by also burning another bike at the Stephen Tolbert and Barnesville areas respectively. Thank God some officers of the Liberia National Police and PSU came and calm the situation,” the stated.
Also speaking to a team of reporters during the incident, the president of the Liberia Motorcycle Transport Union, Samuel G. Deapah, condemned the act exhibited by both the motorcyclists and bus drivers on grounds that violence should not be used by any citizens as a means of restoring calm.
He expressed regrets about the incident as a leader of all motorcyclists in country saying, “It is time that we as Liberians stand together to condemn and discourage the acts of violence in our society and I hope that the LNP will speedily investigate this mater in order for the perpetrators to be made to face the law.”
One of the victims only identified as Jallah said it was unfortunate that he had fallen prey to the incident because he had no idea of what might have triggered the tension, stating, “I don’t even know where to start from because the bike was my only source of survival.”
With yesterday’s violence that witnessed serious fear among commuters and residents including movements and economic activities all being stalled, many were heard registering their disenchantment into the breakdown of the rule of law, which many are vowing that from now on, they will be their own security.
Meanwhile, officers of the Liberia National Police arrested four individuals in connection to the violence and were later taken to the Jacob Town Deport for further investigation.