Monrovia,Liberia: The Liberia National Police has arrested several alleged robbers under the gang group called passenger 57.
By Wholquoi Yeahgar-www.ywholquoi@gmail.com
Passenger 57robbers usually hijack peaceful citizens as a way of life on transport and private vehicles.
The two women arrest along with four men by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) for last week in a broad day robbery have been formally charged by the Monrovia City Court on two counts of criminal conspiracy and robbery.
Quetta Freeman, 37, and Alice Somore, 21, were charged along with four males accomplices.
They were ordered detained at the Monrovia Central Prison pending prosecution.
As part of a criminal gang widely known in Monrovia as ‘Passenger 57’, the six suspects allegedly formed a gang of criminals who normally operate commercial vehicles to rob passengers.
The arrest of the six alleged criminals were based on complaint filed by a victim, Lulu Wellington, to the police of being robbed in broad day light on the 3rd Street in Sinkor on Monday, June 25.
Complaint Wellington claimed that she left the Ecobank 11th Street Branch in Sinkor where she withdrew US$ 250.00 and when she came out of the bank she boarded a White Toyota vehicle with plate #A211146 that was heading toward the Catholic Junction on the Old Road in Sinkor.
She stated that while in the vehicle the driver identified by the police as William Jarbo told her that the door was not close and in that process the driver opened the door and closed it but noticed that one of the fellow that was sitting beside her had taken her purse from her bag so she took her purse from him and the fellow in return forcibly jerked her purse.
Complaint Wellington claimed that the driver decided to speed up with the vehicle after the fellow sitting beside her had taken her purse.
“When the guy sitting by me had taken my purse with my money he gave it to that black lady (Quetta Freeman) who got down and the guys decided to push me out of the moving vehicle but I succeeded in locking the vehicle this is how one of them bit me while the other decided to punch me. I gave up but they told me that they cannot put me down from the vehicle,” complaint Wellington explained.
She said when an angry crowd came to her rescue; the driver accidentally hit another vehicle on the 3rd Street while trying to escape with the vehicle.
According to Wellington, the incident caused her to lose her Liberian Passport, three identification cards and cash of over US$360 amongst other valuables.
According to the police, at the time of investigation with all six defendants, they admitted robbing the complaint on the date and time mentioned.
However, during separate interviews with reporters each of the defendants including the two females, blaming their actions on the current hardship in the country.
“My brother it is true that we carried out the act but our action is due to the current hardship facing us in the country, no job for us to help ourselves,” one of them said.
Speaking to Journalistsfollowing their arrest, some of the alleged robbers noted that it was the only alternative to make life.
The suspect added that upon every daily operation a minimum of 50 USD is reported to a man only identified as Emmanuel.
The arrests of the group took place after they allegedly robbed a lady while en-route from central Monrovia to Paynesville.
