Prepared by Manja Varney Gbassey Kromah
The CCTV Footage from the ECOBANK Armed Robbery: Research, Analysis, Legality, and Precedent… Prepared by Manja Varney Gbassey Kromah
I have taken a keen interest in the ongoing debates surrounding the ECOBANK incident that occurred recently on 11th Street, Sinkor. I carefully reviewed the CCTV footage, analyzed the events, and researched whether the charges of armed robbery filed by the Liberia National Police were legally sound.
Armed Robbery Charge in Liberia
Under Section 15.32 of the Liberian Penal Law, armed robbery is a first-degree felony and a capital and grave offense. The law defines it as:
> A person has committed armed robbery if, in the process or course of committing theft, they threaten to kill, kill, or inflict bodily injury, or place any person in imminent danger of life under gunpoint or by means of explosives, weapons, or other lethal instruments.
To sustain a charge of armed robbery, the prosecution must prove the following elements:
1. Taking of Property (or Attempt):
In this case, the accused did not succeed in taking any money or property from ECOBANK. However, police established that he demanded money from the teller.
Under Liberian law, the act of demanding property with intent to steal—especially under the threat of lethal force—is sufficient to constitute armed robbery, even if no property is actually taken.
2. Force, Fear, and Intimidation:
The accused wore a mask, concealed a firearm, and brandished it at the teller. This act placed her in immediate fear for her life and was intended to gain access to the money.
The victim was placed in reasonable apprehension of imminent harm, which satisfies the intimidation requirement for armed robbery.
3. Use of a Deadly Weapon:
The most critical element in this case is the weapon. The suspect entered ECOBANK with a gun—a legally recognized deadly weapon—and CCTV footage clearly shows him pointing it at the teller.
This directly satisfies the requirement that a deadly weapon be used to facilitate the crime.
Key Legal Point
The fact that the robbery was unsuccessful does not erase the crime. Armed robbery is about the act and intent, not just the outcome. Once the suspect entered with a deadly weapon, demanded money, and threatened the teller, all statutory elements were met.
Precedent from the United States
A similar principle was upheld in People v. Dillon (California Supreme Court, 1983). In that case, a group of teenagers attempted to steal marijuana plants from a farm while armed with rifles. Even though they were caught before taking any plants, the court held that the attempt—combined with the use of a deadly weapon and the creation of fear—was enough to sustain an armed robbery conviction.
Another notable example is United States v. McFadden, 739 F.2d 149 (4th Cir. 1984). In this federal case, the defendant entered a bank with a firearm, demanded money, and pointed the weapon at employees but fled empty-handed. The court ruled that the absence of stolen funds was irrelevant—what mattered was that he had the intent to take property by force and used a deadly weapon to intimidate, which fully satisfied the elements of armed robbery under U.S. federal law.
These U.S. precedents reinforce that under both Liberian and American law, armed robbery is complete the moment a perpetrator, with intent to steal, uses or threatens deadly force—even if no property is ultimately taken.
Conclusion:
Given the CCTV evidence, statutory definitions, and relevant legal precedents, the Liberia National Police acted correctly in charging the ECOBANK suspect with armed robbery. His entry with a deadly weapon, threats toward the teller, and clear intent to steal fulfill all legal requirements for the crime, regardless of the robbery’s outcome.
