"Lawmakers Charge Sime Darby With Contempt for Fake Testimonies in Torture Allegation", 23 April 2018

The House of Representatives has charged the management of Sime Darby Plantation Liberia with legislative contempt for providing fake testimonies in its torture allegations case. The lawmakers took the decision on Thursday following the appearance of officials representing the company before the legislature. The Malaysian oil palm company has been accused of torturing and manhandling residents in and around its concession areas after a video was released on social media showing a man who identified himself as John David severely tortured for allegedly stealing a palm fruit bunch. The company’s managing director, David Parker, however, denied knowledge of incidents of torture and mistreatments against residents by the company. “Sime Darby Plantation Liberia does not condone, in any way, the use of violence and any mistreatment of its employees or anyone in regard to theft,” Parker told the lawmaker. David, who was victimized in the video, has told police investigators that the men who tortured him were acting under the authority of the plantation, but the company’s managing director informed the lawmakers that he could not identify anyone in the video. It was, however, seen as a contradiction when Parker also told the lawmakers that the company had suspended its security manager in relation to the video...