Monrovia โ The Inspector Basic of the Liberia Nationwide Police (LNP), Col. Gregory Coleman, has denied allegations that state prosecutors tried to bribe John Nyanti, one of many key suspects within the Capitol Constructing arson case, to testify towards former Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and different co-defendants.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [emailย protected]
Nyanti, who was declared wished by the police and believed to have fled the nation following the December 2024 incident, resurfaced underneath controversial circumstances. His household not too long ago held a shock press convention, accusing the police of holding him incommunicado and trying to coerce him into serving as a state witness towards Koffa and others.
A day after the press convention, Nyanti appeared on the Monrovia Metropolis Courtroom, the place he reaffirmed his householdโs claims. He alleged that the Authorities of Liberia provided him $US200,000 to testify towards the previous Speaker and several other lawmakers implicated within the case.
Nevertheless, addressing the allegations on the Ministry of Dataโs common press briefing on Thursday, Police IG Coleman refuted the claims, stating that at no level did the police try to bribe Nyanti.
โThere are claims and counterclaims suggesting that the police tried to bribe suspect Nyanti to falsely implicate others,โ Coleman stated. โHowever let me make it clearโMr. Nyanti has been recognized as an individual of curiosity on this investigation. He was introduced into the nation on June 6 by way of authorized means.โ
In line with Coleman, it was Nyantiโs household who first approached the police with a request for a doable deal that may enable Nyanti to function a state witness.
โWe accepted the proposal and engaged him, however after preliminary assessments, we discovered him to be unreliable and determined to not proceed,โ Coleman defined. โAt no time did we provoke negotiations or supply any bribe.โ
The Police Chief famous that because of the ongoing nature of the case, the LNP is proscribed in what it will probably disclose publicly, however assured the general public that the police acted lawfully and transparently.
โI can let you know that they made a request that we couldn’t honor. This case goes past only a legal indictmentโit’s about confronting a tradition of impunity,โ Coleman added. โWe’re conscious of disinformation being unfold from a number of sources.โ
Coleman additional disclosed that Nyanti offered a sworn assertion, each in writing and on video, within the presence of his lawyer. He stated the proof could be offered on the acceptable time in court docket.
He stated the Liberia Nationwide Police stays resolute. This matter is now earlier than the court docket, and we are going to enable the judicial course of to take its course,โ he stated.
