Statement by UNMIL Officer-in-Charge on misconduct allegation in Bong County

31 Dec 2015

Statement by UNMIL Officer-in-Charge on misconduct allegation in Bong County

Monrovia, 31 December 2015
 
UNMIL Officer-in-Charge Waldemar Vrey made the following statement today:
 
The United Nations Mission in Liberia learned on 29 December of an allegation that two members of its military personnel were involved in a possible case of serious misconduct in Bong County on 4 December. The alleged misconduct involved the beating of a teenage boy.
 
The Mission takes such allegations extremely seriously and dispatched yesterday a preliminary fact-finding team, led by the Force Provost Marshall (the highest ranking member of the military police). The team is tasked with preserving evidence in the event a full investigation is warranted.
 
While the facts in this case are being established, our thoughts are with the boy, whose condition remains moderately serious, and his family. The Mission has agreed to facilitate the transfer of the patient on humanitarian grounds from Phebe Hospital to JFK Hospital in Monrovia.
 
All necessary steps will be taken to establish the facts in this case. In the meantime, I echo acting County Superintendent Anthony B. Sheriff’s call for all parties to remain calm and cooperate with those establishing the facts.