MONROVIA – Officer Varney Moore (OPS9) has reportedly threatened his colleague Officer Bioma E. S. Taylor by issuing terroristic remarks, prompting Taylor to declare, “I strongly believe that my life is at risk,” as he told Smart News Liberia. Both officers serve in the Liberia National Police (LNP).
The incident unfolded on June 27, 2024, in the Banjor Community, during a routine inspection by the Liberia Electricity Corporation (LEC) team. The inspection team, supported by Officer Yangai Flomo and Officer Taylor, included Supervisor Campbell E.Y. Gonmen, Linesman Sylvester Tugbeh, and Driver Alphanso Peter. Their task was to inspect LEC assets at customer premises. During this operation, they identified an illegal power connection at the residence of a customer reportedly based in the United States and allegedly linked to Officer Moore.
As the team began disconnecting the illegal connection, a resident alerted Officer Varney Moore, who arrived at the scene and used his authority to stop the inspection. Officer Taylor recounted that he attempted to reason with Moore, warning him of the consequences of obstructing the inspection. Despite this, Moore persisted in his obstruction, resorting to insults and threats against Taylor and the inspection team. The escalating hostility forced the team to abandon their operation in the Banjor Community and move to another area.
However, Officer Moore and his subordinates followed the team and forced their vehicle (LEC Vehicle #146) to pull over. Even after the intervention of another officer, identified only as 105, Moore continued his confrontational behavior.
Given the severity of Moore’s threats, Taylor has filed a formal complaint to the Inspector General of Police, Gregory Coleman. In his letter dated July 1, 2024, Taylor detailed the incident, emphasizing Moore’s obstruction of the LEC’s operations and his unprofessional conduct. Taylor’s complaint underscored the gravity of Moore’s actions, noting that his behavior not only disrupted official duties but also incited anti-police sentiments among local residents. This posed a significant danger to police officers supporting the Anti-Power Theft (APT) Operations across Liberia.
“It is unacceptable for an officer, who should be a beacon of peace and hope for ordinary citizens, to incite others against a peace officer and service providers of the state’s own electricity company,” Taylor wrote. He called for an impartial investigation into Moore’s conduct and for appropriate penalties for the breach of professional conduct and abuse of power.
