Liberia: Writ of Habeas Corpus File Towards LNP For Alleged Illegal Detention and Torture
Monrovia- A writ of habeas corpus petition has been filed earlier than the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes “B,” Montserrado County, by a authorized crew representing a Liberian, Thomas Etheridge, who’s a resident of Brewerville.
By Willie N. Tokpah, [email protected]
The writ, which is scheduled for a listening to on January 13, 2025, raises authorized and constitutional questions concerning the therapy of their consumer, Thomas Etheridge who has been detained by Liberian safety personnel.
The petitioner, represented by Cllr. Jonathan T. Massaquoi of the International Law Group, alleges that Etheridge was unlawfully detained and subjected to inhumane therapy by the Liberia National Police (LNP) and the National Security Agency (NSA).
The writ asserts that Thomas Etheridge was arrested on December 18, 2024, close to the Capitol Building in Monrovia and brought into custody with out being charged throughout the constitutionally mandated 48-hour interval.
According to the petition, Etheridge stays in detention as of January 10, throughout which period he claims to have endured torture and coercion aimed toward extracting false statements.
The petition additional alleges that NSA operatives, in collaboration with the LNP, violated Etheridge’s constitutional rights by detaining him past the lawful interval and subjecting him to inhumane therapy.
Etheridge’s authorized crew argues that his detention violates a number of provisions of the Liberian Constitution, together with Article 20(a), which ensures liberty and safety of the individual, in addition to due means of regulation, Article 21(e): Prohibiting torture and inhumane therapy of detainees, in addition to Article 21(f): Mandating that arrested people be formally charged and introduced in court docket inside 48 hours of detention.
The petition requests the court docket to problem a writ of habeas corpus, compelling the respondents to supply Etheridge earlier than the court docket and justify his continued detention.
The authorized crew can be in search of Etheridge’s speedy launch and the restoration of his constitutional rights.
The writ of habeas corpus, issued by Assigned Circuit Judge J. Kennedy Peabody, instructions the respondents, together with the Liberia National Police, the National Security Agency, and the Ministry of Justice, to current Etheridge on the Temple of Justice on January 13, for the court docket to find out whether or not his detention aligns with constitutional and statutory necessities.
The case has garnered consideration as a litmus take a look at for Liberia’s dedication to human rights and the rule of regulation.
As of this writing, neither the Ministry of Justice nor the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police has issued a public response.
However, sources throughout the safety circle have indicated that the federal government’s protection will possible hinge on the need of the detention as a part of ongoing legal investigations.
The January 13 listening to is predicted to handle the legality of Etheridge’s detention, in addition to broader issues in regards to the conduct of Liberia’s safety businesses.
