Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09MONROVIA87
2009-01-28 09:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Monrovia
Cable title:  

LIBERIA: HOUSE SPEAKER ALLEGEDLY ORDERS BEATING OF FORMER

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM LI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO6666
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHMV #0087 0280921
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 280921Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY MONROVIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0731
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS MONROVIA 000087 

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: HOUSE SPEAKER ALLEGEDLY ORDERS BEATING OF FORMER
LAWMAKER

REF. A: 2008 MONROVIA 466
REF. B: 2008 MONROVIA 749

UNCLAS MONROVIA 000087

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM LI
SUBJECT: LIBERIA: HOUSE SPEAKER ALLEGEDLY ORDERS BEATING OF FORMER
LAWMAKER

REF. A: 2008 MONROVIA 466
REF. B: 2008 MONROVIA 749


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Former lawmaker in the National Transitional
Legislative Assembly (NTLA) Prince Toe has accused Speaker of the
House Alex Tyler of ordering his bodyguards to beat him after Toe's
pickup nearly collided with a vehicle in Tyler's convoy January 18.
The Monrovia Magisterial Court issued a writ of arrest against House
Speaker J. Alex Tyler on January 21, but withdrew it for "procedural
errors" after Minister of Justice Philip Banks intervened. END
SUMMARY.


2. (U) Former lawmaker in the NTLA and representative of former
warring faction Movement of Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) Prince Toe
was driving his pickup January 18 and allegedly had a near collision
with a vehicle in Speaker of the House Alex Tyler's convoy. Toe
alleges that Tyler's convoy followed his vehicle through the
Monrovia suburb of Gardnersville and stopped him at his church. Toe
entered into the church for the Sunday service, but says Tyler's
bodyguards physically pulled him out of the building and took him to
a local police depot. Toe contends the bodyguards beat him up
outside the police station in front of the Speaker and stole two
kilograms worth of gold, worth $75,000, and LD 5,000 (USD 83) that
was on him. Toe alleges he was briefly detained at the station
after the beating until a local clergyman intervened for his
release.


3. (SBU) Toe reported the case to the Monrovia Magisterial Court and
Montserrado County Attorney Samuel Jacobs sought an arrest warrant
for Speaker Tyler for aggravated assault and criminal solicitation
(premeditated theft). The warrant, which was hastily issued and did
not have all of the requisite signatures, was served to Speaker
Tyler at his Capitol Office. According to the immunity protection
Liberian Legislators enjoy, they cannot be served warrants at the
Capitol or on the way to or from official events. Therefore,
Minister of Justice Philip Banks intervened to order the Magisterial
Court to rescind the arrest warrant.


4. (SBU) Speaker Tyler denied he ordered Toe's "flogging" (the term
used in the Liberian vernacular),but did not attend the regular
session of the House January 22 because he was busy consulting with
his lawyers and members of the House Judiciary Committee on the
case. Local press covered the case extensively. Tyler presided
over the joint session of the Legislature January 26 for President
Sirleaf's State of the Nation Address.


5. (SBU) COMMENT: If true, this is the latest incident of a high
official abusing his power though violence (although we wonder why
Toe was taking two kilograms of gold with him to church). Other
instances include Senator Roland Kaine, now on trial for allegedly
ordering the killing of several youths during a land dispute (Ref
A). Senator Nathaniel Innis was accused of beating a young woman in
June 2008 for making noise in his neighborhood (Ref B). Chief
Justice Johnnie N. Lewis angrily ordered the camera of a local
journalist to be seized for "illegally taking his photograph" during
an official public appearance in November 2008. Deputy Minister of
Public Works Roderick Smith allegedly ordered the beating of General
Auditing Commission auditor Winsley Nanka in December 2008 after
Nanka demanded more documents to verify earlier documents the
Ministry had submitted. Whether or not all these accounts turn out
to be accurate, the public at least is responding negatively to this
perceived abuse of power. END COMMENT.

THOMAS-GREENFIELD