Liberia National Police Dismisses Chief Officer Over Murder Suspect’s Escape

Monrovia – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has taken swift action, dismissing Officer Ithamar Harding, Chief of Technical Services of the Public Safety Division, with immediate effect. This follows his alleged role in the escape of murder suspect Queen Johnson from police custody over the weekend.

The incident stems from the ongoing investigation into the death of Joshua Solomon, a flamboyant model and beauty pageant trainer associated with the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Solomon succumbed to injuries sustained during an attack on August 11, 2023, near the Unity Party’s campaign office in Sinkor.

Video footage implicated Miss Johnson, a Unity Party (UP) partisan, and several others in the brutal assault on Solomon. Despite police calls for individuals seen in the video to surrender for questioning, no one had come forward in over a month.

Recently, an alert led police officers to the Red Lion entertainment spot in Central Monrovia, where they successfully apprehended Miss Johnson. However, Officer Harding, entrusted with transporting her to the Liberia National Police Headquarters, allegedly allowed her to escape.

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Addressing the press on January 6, 2024, Police Spokesman Moses Carter announced Officer Harding’s dismissal for unethical behavior. Carter revealed, “Unfortunately, while en route to the headquarters of the Liberia National Police to face investigation, Madam Johnson was driven off the headquarters of the Liberia National Police in the vehicle operated by one of our officers.”

All officers involved in the arrest have undergone professional standard investigations. Carter stated, “In addition to these officers that have been subjected, the officer who is alleged and identified by these officers to have been the one who aided and abetted allegedly the absconding of Madam Johnson from the scene, the officer identified as Ithamar Harding, code number Unit 187, the Chief of Technical Services of the Public Safety Division, has been dismissed with immediate effect and forwarded to the Professional Standard Division for questioning on how Madam Johnson escaped.”

Carter reiterated the LNP’s unwavering commitment to bringing Miss Johnson and others implicated in the video for questioning. “Our quest for Madam Johnson and others to face interrogation remains unbending,” declared the Police Spokesman. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.