Locals and employees of Sime Darby Plantation Liberia (SDPL) in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties are reportedly denouncing recent Police findings by authorities of the Liberia National Police (LNP) after one person was charged with “reckless driving” that resulted to the death of one Odisa Kollie at Sime Darby Plantation in Bomi County last month.
Police Commissioner John Saah, who made the disclosure on Saturday, April 7, in Klay, Bomi County, said the LNP charged Abraham Bah, the driver of the vehicle, with reckless driving resulting to the death of Kollie.
“A driver employed by Sime Darby, Abraham Bah, is held liable for the occurrence of the accident, and is duly charged for reckless driving that resulted to the death of Odisa Kollie,” Commissioner Saah said.
The LNP head of Public Safety further stated that following police’s investigation into the incident, it was established that Kollie did not die as a result of murder as has been speculated by many residents in the County.
Commissioner Saah said that Kollie died as a result of a motor accident involving one of the vehicles assigned to Sime Darby Plantation and a motorbike, contrary to rumors that Kollie was murdered by some unknown persons.
“According to the report from the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the LNP, Mr. Kollie did not die as a result of murder. Rather, he died as a result of a road traffic accident. According to the CID and your own representative you gave us to carry out this investigation, they all examined the body, and the facts surrounding the death of Mr. Kollie was not murder; it was an accident,” Commissioner Saah disclosed. However he did not say whether the findings were the outcome of an autopsy performed on the body of the deceased.
He further added that the rider of the motorbike is still on the run, while the driver of the vehicle has admitted to committing the crime and reported himself to the police.
But the family and some residents took exception to the report on grounds that it was unfair. They have decided to challenge the police report in court.
According to the Liberian law, anyone who feels otherwise about a report concerning the death of a family member can challenge it in court.
To effect this, Sam Mulbah, a resident of the County, commended the police. However, he has called on the family of the victim to join him and challenge the report in court.
“We want to congratulate the police thus far for their report, and thank God it has now reached the level of the court. We therefore called on the family members to remain calm as we all join hands to challenge the report in court, and we are going to do so at all cost,” Mulbah said during a question and answer period of the meeting.
Also, the oldest brother of the late Kollie said: “We the bereaved family members are not happy with the report and so, we will challenge it in court.”
Bomi County Labor Commissioner, Sieh Thomas, promised to also stand with the workers in any future labor-related matters.
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