Cummings Accuses Liberia National Police of 'Ethical Breach'

Alexander Cummings has accused the Liberia National Police of an 'ethical breach' after it informed the public that a 32-year-old man who is stands accused of sodomizing a 16-year-old boy is a “domestic staff working in his compound as a security.”

Cummings, the political leader of the opposition Alternative National Congress is claiming that the police, without inquiring from him as to whether Matthew Kerkula works for him or not, decided to associate his name with a crime he knows nothing about as a means of impugning his integrity.

"This is to inform the general public that the accused Kerkula, is not a domestic staff or security in Cummings compound. Kerkula does not work for Cummings and never has. This is a blatant lie and evil propaganda by the LNP, a government entity, and an attempt by the Weah administration to associate me with criminal behavior, thereby impugning my integrity, " Cummings said in a statement released by his political party, the Alternative National Congress (ANC).

"The Police as an institution must be guided by best practices and professional ethics of Policing to investigate and authenticate information especially obtained from a suspected criminal before released to the public.

"It is important to state that Cummings strongly opposes rape, any form of sexual abuse and violence, and calls on the government to ensure that perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice," the statement added. 

What did the police say?

In a Facebook post on June 10, the police claimed that it has arrested a 32-year-old man identified as  Kerkulah, a resident of Old Road Community for allegedly Sodomizing a 16-year-old boy.

Suspect Kerkulah, according to the police, "is said to be a domestic staff working in the compound of  Cummings as Security."

"The suspect is currently in Police custody undergoing investigation. And will be duly charged and forwarded to a court to face the full weight of the law based on the outcome of the medical report,"  police spokesman Moses Carter said. 

Carter meanwhile did not state in his release whether the police contacted Cummings or not as a means of confirming the allegations that the suspect is a domestic staff of Cummings. 

However, Cummings noted that his investigation shows that Kerkulah is a subcontractor or employee of the Liberia Commerce Trading Center, (LCTC) headed by  Paul Rennie, who is periodically contracted to clean the politician's property, Saba Suites including the pool.

Cummings added that he has no control over who Rennie sub-contracts or hires to provide the service.

Matthew Kerkula works for LCTC

Confirming Cummings' assertion, Rennie stated that the accused,  Kerkulah, is a subcontractor of his company, LCTC, and does work for Cummings. 

Rennie added that he made this information known to the police and is surprised that it was not reflected in its release. 

"Kerkulah is not a domestic staff working in the compound of Cummings as security, rather he is a pool-cleaning subcontractor of the LCTC, contrary to the police report.

"LCTC is involved in general construction and was once hired by Cummings to undertake renovation works and general maintenance of his swimming pool. LCTC hired Matthew Kerkulah to work for us with no knowledge or consent of  Cummings.

"I had also personally informed the LNP of Kerkulah's employment with the LCTC and I am surprised that it is not reflected in their statement to the public," Rennie added. "The  LCTC condemns any alleged criminal activities by its employees and has suspended  Kerkulah pending the outcome of his criminal charge."

Meanwhile, Cummings had warned all government agencies and news outlets committing future defamation or libel will be met with legal remedies available to him.