-As UP stalwart escapes Justice

By G Bennie Bravo Johnson I

In what appears to be a battle between the fight to strengthen justice and the fight to gain political dividends, the Liberia National Police has with immediate effect dismissed the Chief Inspector of Police, who is also the  Chief of Technical Services of the Liberia National Police, Ithamar Harding of Unit 187, for facilitating the escape of murder suspect Peaches Johnson.

Unity Party stalwart, Peaches Johnson who is affectionally known as the rescue queen was arrested on Friday, January 5, 2024, at the Red-Lion entertainment center where she had gone to amuse herself.

According to police spoke-man, H Moses Carter, while in root to the headquarters of the LNP,  she was driven off in the vehicle operated by senior police officer Ithamar Harding.

“While in route to the headquarters of the Liberia National Police to have Madam Johnson face investigation, she was driven off the LNP headquarters  in the vehicle operated by one of our senior police officers Ithamar Harding 

and as a result, absconded the scene here at the headquarters of the National Police.”

Lately 2023, the LNP issued an arrest warrant declaring Pitches Johnson wanted to face investigation for her role involving the death of Joshua Solomon who was beaten as the result of electoral violence that erupted between the Unity Party and the CDC in September 2023, and later died from internal bleeding.

According to the LNP, since declaring Miss. Johnson wanted to undergo investigation, she has never responded to the call of the police, nor has the Unity Party turned her in for said investigation.

“Since declaring Peaches Johnson wanted, she has never responded to our call.

We wrote the Unity Party asking them to turn Miss Johnson in but since that communication, the Unity Party is yet to respond to the police.”

While the arrest warrant was issued by the LNP to have Peaches Johnson face investigation, the unity party in November 2023 appointed her as a member of the inauguration committee, overseeing the inaugural activities of Liberia’s 25th president Joseph Nyumah Boakai.

Meanwhile, when the arrest was initiated by the Liberia National Police, Byron Byron a supporter of the Unity Party wrote on his Facebook page calling on partizans of the Unity Party to gather at the Red-Lion entertainment center. He said if the arrest had been made, the “rescue queen”, as they called her, wouldn’t have lived.

He further stated, “Nothing water can do to rock.” He later added. “Queen Johnson might not live tonight. I’m calling on all UP Folks to assemble

at Red Lion amusement Center right now. I’m on my way there with men. My baby Queen Johnson is safe. Nothing water can do to rock,” Byron Byron wrote.

At the same time, according to the police spoke-man, fifteen (15) junior officials who facilitated the arrest informed the police charge of quarters that they were instructed by the Chief Inspector of Police, and Chief of Technical Services of the Liberia National Police, Ithamar Harding to allow he take her away.

An act that is seen as an attempt to gain political dividant from the incoming government Unity Party which has appointed her as a member of the inaugural committee.

But effectively leading to dismissal from the Liberia National Police.

Disclosing on Saturday, January 6, 2024, police spoke-man H. Moses Carter stated that inspector Harding was dismissed after he had instructed 15 junior officials to turn over suspect Pitches Johnson in his control for further presentation to the headquarters of the Liberia National Police, but choose to allow her abscond justice.

“According to the Anti Rubbery and the Police Support Unit officers who are currently undergoing investigation at the charge of quarters inspector Ithamar Harding instructed them to allow Peaches Johnson to ride with him but when they got here at the headquarters of the police he absconded with her.

Based on that, Liberia National Police has with immediate effect dismissed the Chief Inspector of Police, the  Chief of Technical Services of the Liberia National Police, Ithamar Harding of Unit 187, along with the fifteen (15) junior officers for facilitating the escape of Peaches Johnson.