GANTA, Nimba – A relative of a 51-year-old man who was killed by a vehicle belonging to supporters of the All Liberian Party is accusing members of the Liberia National Police of destroying evidence related to the case.

The weekend of July 8 saw Liberia’s second most populous city crowded with partisans from both the All Liberian Party and Unity Party, and James Kogar died as a result of injuries after the ALP vehicle ran into the crowd. Several others also suffered from non-life threatening injuries.

Emmanuel Z. Vaye, a relative of Kogar, told reporters that the vehicle, which bore the ALP emblem, had the party’s branding removed before the arrival of journalists. He alleged that the sticker was removed by police when the operator of the vehicle went to turn himself over to authorities.

“I came to the police station to know whether the vehicle in question is at the police station and luckily I met the vehicle,” Vaye told reporters. However, he said the regional commander had instructed officers to remove the vehicle’s identifying stickers.

Vaye said the act led him to invite the press “so I can let them know that the police [are] not protecting the interest of the citizens,” but rather protecting the vehicle’s owner, whom he said the police valued over life.

James Kogar, the deceased, was the father of six children and the elder brother to Rep. Samuel Kogar of Nimba’s fifth electoral district. The elder Kogar died at about 8:00 p.m. and was visiting his relative, Vaye, at the time of his death.

Officials at the Ganta police station have not responded to requests for comments; they have said the investigation is still ongoing and information about the case will be made available to the public in due course.

The unidentified operator of the vehicle is in the custody of the police as the investigation continues.

Meanwhile, no official statement has been made by Rep. Samuel Kogar on the death of his brother.

Featured photo by Arrington Ballah