Mobs Kill 9 Suspected Armed Robbers in Liberia

At least nine suspected hard-core criminals are now known to have died during Monday evening’s clash between suspected criminals and vigilante groups at the northern Monrovia suburb of Red Light. The remains of the suspected criminals, who are accused of being involved in armed robberies and petty theft including telephone snatching at Paynesville Red Light commercial district, were set ablaze before a crowd of onlookers.

The bodies of the seven male and two female suspected criminals were burnt in the full view of the state police, United Nations Mission of Liberia (UNMIL) forces and traders, while the crowd clapped in apparent approval of the action by the vigilante groups.

Eyewitnesses said the situation at Red Light on Monday started at about 4:30pm when a gang of suspected criminals went on the rampage, attacking innocent traders in revenge for the killing of one of their leaders in a gun battle with the police.

The police had reportedly gone to quell an armed robbery that was reportedly taking place at an unnamed business center operated in Red Light near a notorious criminal hideout known as ‘Baghdad’, when they came under fire by suspected criminals. In the ensuing gun battle, one of the gang members, identified as Daniel Davies, alias ‘Scatter’ was shot dead.

Following the killing of their colleague, the gang members regrouped in the afternoon and randomly attacked traders and business centers using home-made petrol bombs.

This caused a stampede among traders and other residents who ran helter- skelter in all directions. Business activities ground to a halt in the Red Light area for hours, and the police, backed by forces of the UN Mission in Liberia had to move in to bring the situation under control.

Source African Press Agency

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