Alexander Saye was a towering figure, a career Law Enforcement Officer admired by many across Liberia except for those who cruelly murdered him in Grand Gedeh County where he was serving as Regional Police Commander. His death in November, 2020 was widely felt across many sectors of the society. Many wondered why such a young man, who has achieved a lot in his career and looked promising for future leadership roles in the Police and the security sector will have his life cut short in a manner that still leaves his family in shock. Now almost four years on from the day of his death, his family continues to cry for Justice decrying circumstances that make it difficult to have a full closure.

Cousin of the deceased, James Monbedoe Gibson, is now said to be in hiding since the begining of February as lamented by family members who have reached out to this outlet. Gibson has been a leading advocate using his critical voice to call for justice for the late Police Commissioner. Alexander Saye, was killed on November 27, 2020. The National Security Agency (NSA) assigned Agent, Sampson Pennue was investigated, charged with murder and sent to Court for trial. However, in June of 2021, a local daily FrontPageAfrica, reported quoting credible sources that the court had released on bail suspect Pennue through what the Paper described as the ‘back door’. Such release came despite the Liberian Constitution forbidding bail for suspects of a capital offense such as murder. Article 21(d) of the Constitution states, “All accused persons shall be billable upon their personal recognizance or by sufficient sureties, depending upon the gravity of the charge, unless charged for capital offenses or grave offenses as defined by law.” The reported release of Pennue at the time raised some eyebrows with even then Police Inspector General, Patrick Sudue accusing the courts undermining the fight against crime and the dispense of justice. From the onset of the murder of Commissioner Saye, his cousin James Gibson has led family members, well-wishers, and sympathizers in a series of protests, calling the Liberian government’s attention to the need for speedy justice. Years later and when it seemed justice had come, the family became enraged that the prime suspect had been released. Out of fear that the a suspected hardened criminal who had targeted his family for obvious reasons could come after him, Gibson has since gone into hiding as reported by family members. A major basis for the concern, according to family members, is that Pennue is the biological brother to a very powerful and well-established Senator of Grand Gedeh County, Hon. Zoe Emmanuel Pennue. Sources at the time informed this paper that both the Ministry of Justice and the Temple of Justice were investigating the reported release of a detained murder suspect Sampson Pennue from the Monrovia Central Prison without trial. Years later, nothing substantive came out of that reported investigation. Impeccable sources have also hinted that there exists a clique within both entitles which has always collaborated to maneuver the release of suspect criminals through a chain of bribery.

The U.S. State Department 2020 Human Rights Report on Liberia documented that, “The constitution provides for an independent judiciary, but judges and magistrates were subject to influence and engaged in corruption. Judges sometimes solicited bribes to try cases, grant bail to detainees, award damages in civil cases, or acquit defendants in criminal cases. Defense attorneys and prosecutors sometimes suggested defendants pay bribes to secure favorable decisions from judges, prosecutors, and jurors, or to have court staff place cases on the docket for trial.”

It can be recalled that Police Spokesman Moses Carter at the time of the investigation, told FrontPageAfrica that the NSA Regional Commander, Sampson Pennue was charged with the crime of murder in connection with the death of the Deputy Commissioner of Police. He disclosed that a police investigation conducted showed that Commander Pennue allegedly pulled his firearm at the victim, but the police did not establish why a live round was pulled at Saye, who also allegedly discharged his firearm

“Sampson Pennoh has been charged with murder and he is the NSA Commander for Grand Gedeh. We have gathered that he was the one who pulled the trigger, but what led to the trigger being pulled, we were not there but the fact established that his firearm was discharged and that Alexander Saye’s firearm was also discharged”, the police spokesperson had stated. “The fact that his firearm was discharged, points to a logical conclusion that he discharged the firearm that affected Alexander Saye”, Carter added, ruling out speculation that the alleged act was accidentally carried out by the NSA Commander for Grand Gedeh County. According to him, all firearm carriers are trained and knowledgeable about methods of preserving and discharging their weapons. Others including activist Martin K.N. Kollie spoke out following the murder as can be read in the following link https://www.facebook.com/100064075837726/posts/191841422641932/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v.

Prior to his demise, DCP Saye served as Company Commander of the Police Support Unit (PSU), Deputy Chief of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU), Chief of the Emergency Response Unit, Regional Commander, Montserrado Region (U-142), and lastly served as Regional Commander for Region Four (Grand Gedeh and Sinoe Counties). He served the LNP for over 14 years as a tactically trained and disciplined riot control and senior commanding officer who served the Police Support Unit (PSU), the Emergency Response Unit (ERU), and the Patrol Division of the Liberia National Police.