The Liberia National Police has detained Mike Jabateh, the Assistant Minister for Urban Affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, following threats he issued against Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah. Jabateh was apprehended at the premises of Prime FM. How might this situation unfold? It seems to be a week of arrests in the UP government.I will look for the specific statement made by Minister Mike Jabateh that led to his arrest.
The arrest of Mike Jabateh, the Assistant Minister for Urban Affairs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Liberia, follows his issuance of death threats against Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah. In a recorded phone conversation, Jabateh threatened Kolubah, stating he would bring mercenaries to kill him if he continued criticizing President Boakai. Jabateh claimed to be a “Russian-trained mercenary” and warned Kolubah to cease his attacks within three weeks.
Jabateh later described his statement as a political joke intended to instill fear, but the recording has sparked significant backlash and condemnation. This incident raises questions about political discourse and the rule of law in Liberia, putting pressure on President Boakai’s administration to handle the situation appropriately
In a recent development, Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah has expressed his disappointment over the manner in which the Liberia National Police (LNP) arrested Assistant Minister for Urban Affairs, Mike Jabateh. Jabateh was detained at Prime FM 105.5 following threats he made against Kolubah. However, Kolubah stated he never officially lodged a complaint against Jabateh at the LNP headquarters and views the arrest as selective justice.Kolubah clarified that he was not offended or threatened by Jabateh and questioned the police’s motives.
He suggested that the arrest might be a coverup, stemming from an incident where Jabateh allegedly called the Police Director “Pekin” (a term meaning child), which offended the Director. According to Kolubah, this prompted the Inspector General to order Jabateh’s immediate detention.
Furthermore, Kolubah highlighted that he had previously reported vandalization of his property and the wrongful detention of his constituents without court proceedings, which the police failed to address. He emphasized that Jabateh’s arrest was not because of him but potentially due to other underlying issues within the police force.
This incident underscores the ongoing tensions and challenges within Liberia’s political and law enforcement spheres, raising questions about justice and accountability in the current administration.
