MONROVIA, Montserrado – The management of Sime Darby Plantation in Liberia has officially responded to a facebook video that shows a man being tortured after being accused of stealing an oil palm fruit bunch.
The video surfaced on social media last week and showed a man, who identified himself as John David, severely tortured.
David told his torturers in the video that he was born in 1987 and had earlier lived in the Bomi town of Gbar, but the company says the incident in the video happened at its Nimba operations point, in January.
Although posters of the video are alleging that the company carried out the act, it was not clear if the men in the video formed part of the plantation’s private security guards.
In its official statement, the plantation clarified that except Boakai Feika, the rest of the individuals involved in this incident were not employees of the company.
The company disclosed that it immediately suspended its chief of security, Thomas Walker, upon discovery of the inhumane incident. Meanwhile, Feika, the personnel who allegedly manhandled David in the video, has also surrendered himself to the Liberia National Police for investigation. The Bush Chicken is yet to get the police to confirm the reported surrender of the alleged torturer.
According to the Malaysian-owned oil palm company, it does not condone any use of physical force and ill treatment by any of its employees, even to those caught stealing its fresh fruit bunch.
“Anyone caught stealing [fresh fruit bunches] will be handed over to LNP and [Sime Darby] will fully cooperate with the authorities on investigations undertaken by LNP,†it said in the statement.
The management’s statement follows concerns raised in the public including by members of the National Legislature over the alleged manhandling of private citizens residing in the company’s concession areas.
Zinnah Cassell, a Journalist working with Radio Bomi, confirmed that security guards of the Malaysian oil palm company in February raided the town of Damah on suspicion that residents were involved with palm theft on the plantation.
Cassell said several residents, including men and women, were manhandled, with one of the victims identified as Mike Gibson severely injured and going missing for days.
Members of the House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to cite the management of Sime Darby to appear before its plenary on Thursday to address the allegations.
The speaker of the House, Rep. Bhofal Chambers, told the legislature on Tuesday that the video widely shared on social media showing the maltreatment of a citizen specifically claimed the attention of the leadership of the House, thus citing the conference to arrest the situation.
“The young man was brutally handled, and he was stabbed at his back reminding us of the war days. Statements were made by those men telling him that they needed a shovel to bury him; and I think in our minds it’s bad,†he said.
According to him, the leadership of the House of Representatives held a discussion on Monday surrounding the “gross inhumanity†against David.
At the same time, Bomi’s Senator Sando Johnson is calling for a speedy investigation to bring perpetrators of the alleged torture to face justice. Johnson condemned the alleged torture.
“It’s barbaric, it’s infamous; and no civilized person should get involved in an act to torture people,†he said in an interview with reporters on Tuesday.
He called on human rights groups to join the fight in ending the maltreatment against citizens on the oil palm plantation.
In a joint press conference with members of the Joint Security Committee held Tuesday, Justice Minister Musa Dean disclosed that several persons have been arrested in connection with the torture incident shown in the video on social media and are currently undergoing investigation.
“We wish to say that whoever is implicated in this act will be brought to justice,†Dean said.
Featured photo by Flickr’s hodag
