Jubilant supporters of Simeon Taylor, the Senator-elect of Grand Cape Mount County were attacked and wounded by a rival group while rejoicing over the victory of their candidate from last year Senatorial Election.
After a long court battle, the National Elections Commission (NEC) on Friday announced Taylor of the Collaborating Political Party (CPP) as the winner of the December 8, 2020 Senatorial election in Grand Cape Mount County.
In the wake of the announcement, Taylor’s supporters could not hold back their excitement. They stormed major areas in Grand Cape Mount County with celebration.
However, their happiness was short lived as it angered supporters of the defeated incumbent Senator Victor Watson’s people who attacked them with machetes and clubs.
Immediately, after the incident, social media was flooded with pictures of blood stained victims.
Confirming the violent incident in Cape Mount, the Spokesperson of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Moses Carter told FrontPage Africa that no arrest has been made but the Police was exerting frantic effort to arrest those behind the violence.
“We have not arrested anyone yet but my officers are working hard to make sure that perpetrators of the crime be arrested,” Carter said.
According to him, preliminary investigation showed that the violence was instigated by supporters of Mr. Taylor who left their area and went to celebrate at a place where the incumbent Senator’s supporters had gathered.
“Simeon Taylor’s group went to Victor Watson’s group to celebrate their victory and it angers the supporters of Victor Watson; thereby leading them to engage in a confrontation with Victor Watson’s supporters.”
When contacted, the Senator-elect Taylor condemned the action against his supporters, adding that such news coming from his county should not be taking lightly.
Taylor accused Ideresa Massalay of masterminding the attack against his supporters. He said Massalay, a staunch supporter of Watson of (out-going Senator) ordered his brother only identified as Ansu to lead the attack against his people.
“The people were jubilating and Ideresa Massalay got angry about it and he asked his brother Ansu to beat the people and he starts chapping people,” he said.
Mr. Taylor added: “Last night he (Ansu) chopped Morris and the other boy and beat some of the women that were there. You know, you cannot control excitement –when people are excited. You guys (journalists) need to pay attention to Grand Cape Mount County. Cape Mount is a border county. Like what they did now -they finished chopping the people, they crossed the border and the, including Ideresa himself have gone Sierra Leone.
Speaking further, he said: “Sometime we need to go beyond sentiment and prejudice and look at them realistically and solve some of these problems to have our people free in Grand Cape Mount. We are no more fighting a war in this country.”
Massalay could not be reached as his phone rank endlessly. When contacted, the defeated Senator Watson told FrontPage Africa that he could not talk to the media without advice from his lawyer.
According to report, Massalay has been the lead financiers of defeated incumbent Senator Watson in last year’s December Special Senatorial Election.
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