NATIONAL NEWS
MONROVIA – The Liberia National Police has formally charged ten individuals in connection with the widely condemned mob assault and public stripping of a young woman at the Red Light Commercial District in Monrovia.
By: Trokon S. Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
In a statement issued by Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman, the police described the incident as “unlawful, degrading, inhumane, and entirely inconsistent with the principles of public order, human dignity, and the rule of law” guaranteed under Liberia’s Constitution and legal framework.
The disturbing incident, which circulated extensively on social media through graphic video recordings, sparked public outrage and renewed concerns over mob violence and gender-based abuse in Liberia.
The videos allegedly showed a group of men violently stripping and humiliating a young woman in public at the busy commercial center.
According to the police, preliminary investigations involving witness testimonies, digital video evidence, and statements obtained from Telewowoyan Flomo and Augustine T. Musa led investigators to identify several suspects allegedly involved in the attack.
Authorities named the defendants as Shelton Dolo, Emmanuel Flomo, Abel C. Dandy, Ernest Koiyan, Lincoln Sungbeh, Prince Saykay, Daddy Stephen, Emmanuel Dee, Joe Roberts, and Eric Gbokolo.
The accused have been charged with multiple criminal offenses, including harassment, sexual assault, disorderly conduct, simple assault, felonious restraint, recklessly endangering another person, and offensive touching under various provisions of Liberia’s Revised Penal Code.
Police authorities confirmed that the suspects have already been forwarded to court for prosecution, while investigations remain ongoing to identify and charge additional individuals allegedly connected to the incident.
The LNP stated that further prosecutions could include individuals charged in absentia if supported by available evidence and applicable laws.
Beyond the criminal dimension of the case, the police warned that acts of mob violence and public humiliation carry broader national consequences for Liberia’s international image and economic ambitions.
The LNP said incidents involving forced public stripping and gender-based violence undermine efforts to promote Liberia as a peaceful democratic nation open to tourism, foreign investment, commerce, and international partnership.
According to the police, viral scenes of brutality and lawlessness circulating globally risk creating negative perceptions about security and institutional stability in the country.
“This matter extends beyond individual criminal accountability,” the statement noted, adding that such conduct harms the broader national interest and weakens public confidence.
At the same time, the police urged Liberians to remain calm and allow the judicial process to proceed peacefully and lawfully. Authorities emphasized that all accused individuals remain entitled to due process and are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The Liberia National Police also appealed to communities, civil society organizations, religious institutions, market associations, youth groups, and local leaders to actively reject mob justice, public humiliation, and all forms of gender-based violence.
The police stressed that a lawful society is strengthened through respect for human dignity, institutional accountability, and the impartial administration of justice rather than “the anger of crowds.”
Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman reaffirmed the LNP’s commitment to professional, impartial, and rights-based law enforcement in keeping with its constitutional responsibility to protect life, property, public order, and the dignity of all persons across Liberia.
