Monrovia — The Liberia National Police (LNP) has formally charged and forwarded to court Mulbah K. Morlu, Chairman of the pressure group Solidarity Trust for a New Day (STAND), along with his deputy, Rev. Festus R. B. Logan, in connection with violence that erupted during the December 17, 2025, “Lead or Leave” protest at Capitol Hill.
By Willie N. Tokpah
Police say the two men face multiple charges, including criminal solicitation, criminal conspiracy, rioting, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct, and obstruction of highways and public passages. Investigators allege that the protest descended into acts of simple assault, criminal mischief, robbery, and theft of property, including the destruction of a government-owned vehicle.
Mr. Morlu has strongly rejected the charges, describing them as politically motivated and without legal basis. He said he and his deputy fully cooperated with police after being named persons of interest in the incident.
“As law-abiding citizens, we cooperated fully and made ourselves available whenever called, until the Liberia National Police suddenly ambushed us with laughable, trumped-up charges and hauled us before the City Court,” Morlu asserted.
Court documents list the charges against Morlu and Logan as obstruction of highways, failure to disperse, criminal facilitation, rioting, and criminal conspiracy.
Morlu further accused authorities of selective justice, arguing that the charges were filed shortly after what he described as the release of an alleged rapist, while unresolved cases — including the killing of Matthew Mulbah — remain unaddressed.
“There is an endless catalogue of heinous crimes committed by state-affiliated actors that have conveniently escaped the attention of the Boakai-led government,” Morlu and his supporters claimed.
They characterized the prosecution as an attempt to suppress dissent.
“This is not law enforcement; it is repression of civil liberties — a crude and desperate attempt to silence resistance. It will fail,” the group said, adding that the charges have only strengthened their resolve.
“We will stand. We will continue to resist. And we will fight until our collective national revolutionary objectives are achieved,” the statement concluded.
From Protest to Prosecution
The December 17 demonstration at Capitol Hill was organized under the banner “Lead or Leave,” a slogan promoted by STAND calling on Liberia’s political leadership to deliver immediate economic and governance reforms or step aside.
Organizers described the protest as a peaceful expression of public frustration over unemployment, rising prices, and what activists termed persistent leadership failures.
Police, however, offered a contrasting account, alleging that protesters blocked key access routes around Capitol Hill, ignored repeated dispersal orders, and clashed with security forces, triggering chaos that disrupted public order.
According to the LNP, the conduct of protest leaders contributed to the breakdown of order.
“The right to assemble does not extend to lawlessness,” police said, maintaining that the prosecution is based on evidence gathered during the investigation, including witness statements and material exhibits.
A Test Case for Protest Politics
The charges have intensified national debate over the boundaries between constitutional protest and criminal conduct.
Supporters of Morlu and Logan insist the case is politically driven and intended to intimidate dissenting voices, while critics argue that protest leaders must be held accountable when demonstrations turn violent.
Legal analysts say the case could set an important precedent on the extent of liability protest organizers bear when public demonstrations escalate beyond lawful assembly.
For now, Morlu and Logan remain before the court as prosecutors prepare to advance a case that may redefine the limits of protest politics and civil accountability in Liberia.
