In Bong County…Student Forwarded to Court for Raising ‘Fake Alarm of Kidnap’
By: Matalay Kollie, Bong County Correspondent
Gbarnga City, Bong County-February 9, 2023: Police in Gbarnga, Bong County have arrested, charged and forwarded to Court, a twenty-year old public school student for allegedly raising false public alarm of being kidnapped in the County.
Emmanuel Slabert, a senior student of the government-run John Flomo Bakalu High School was on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 forwarded to the 9th Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga for allegedly sending text messages to family sources that he was kidnapped by unknown men.
The Liberia National Police in the County through its Crime services Division told our reporter that a relative to Emmanuel on Tuesday, complained that student Slabert left his residence during the morning hours for school but was no longer seen after school.
LNP Crime Services Division Commander, John Kellenso Flomo further quotes the family source to student Slabrrt as saying, family members and friends later received text messages from Emmanuel’s phone number saying the owner of the phone is no more and the sim was about to be destroyed.
” He is no more, and after this text, I will break this sim card”, Kellenso quotes.
Upon receiving the heart-breaking information, the Liberian National Police through the Crime Services Division hurriedly dispatched a team of officers to search the whereabouts of Emmanuel.
Commander Flomo explained that student Emmanuel Slabert was later arrested in Peais Town, a remote part of the County where according to him (Emmanuel) had gone to do an installation of a DSTV set, a contract Emmanuel usually does.
The police report futhered that upon the arrest of Emmanuel, he previously denied sending text to his family but following thorough investigation, he confessed to sending tons of messages of alleged kidnapping.
The report said, Emmanuel violated section 17.4 of the new panel law of Liberia, an act punishable by law.
Section 17.4 of the new panel law of Liberia says any act of creating panic in the public for no tangible reason is considered as violation, adding that anyone involved in such act should be charged of raising false public alarm.
However, suspect Slabert said his intention was to test the love of his parents and or family members towards him, “I never really meant to cause harm, I was just joking to see if my parents and friends really love me”, Emanuel told police investigators.
He is at the same time appealed to the Liberia National Police, Bong Detachment to forgive him, with a promise not to repeat such act if forgiven.
Meanwhile, the principal of the John Flomo Bakalu High School, Josiah B. Kollie who was also alleged of being involved in the disappearance of student Slabert has called on the public, especially those who thought he was involved to always authenticate information before making judgment.
The Liberia National Police, Bong Detachment have sent a caveat to would-be rumor-mongers to desist from such act with immediate effect. The County Commander, Fasu Sheriff said the act has the tendency to create fears amongst Citizens in any environment.”The Police will not relent to arrest anyone who will be caught violating the mandate passed by the security force in the Central region of the already struggling African Nation.
The warning came days after the LNP Bong Detachment received a telephone call from an unknown resident of the Jorkpenmue Community alleging that a lady was discovered dead in an unfinished building in the area.
According to commander Sheriff, upon receiving the information, a team of officers were sent to the Community to see whether the information was true but on arrival in the Community, the information previously provided was false and misleading and the alarm raiser was no where to be found.
