By Charles Gbayor, maorethason1997@gmail.com
HARPER, Liberia- A tragic road accident involving a motorcycle and Land Cruiser pickup has led to the instant death of a 63-year-old resident pastor of Sawtoken #2 First Assembly of God Church and another person in the southeastern Barrobo Statutory District, Maryland County.
The second death from accident claimed the life of a local Journalist, Obay Gibson in Pleebo.
Pastor Joe Kuoh,who is also a government teacher of Sawtoken #2 Public Schools, was on his way from Pleebo City where he had gone to collect his teacher salary from Ecobank when the accident occurred. The commercial motorcyclist he was riding is said to have collided with a speeding pickup belonging to CARITAS Cape Palmas.
Health workers who pronounced the death of Pst. Kouh indicated that his legs were broken several times and he also sustained deep cut on his head, thus causing him to bleed to death.
The health report has however revealed that the operator of the motorcycle identified as Patrick Gekor leg also got broken in the process and sustained other wounds, but died on May 1, 2021 despite efforts to save his life after he was rushed to the JJ Dossen Memorial Referral Hospital in Harper City, several hours after the road crash recently..
The accident took place between Dorrobo Kolonso and Barrobo first town Gwisiken during the afternoon hours.
This is the third such tragic motorcycle accident and the second in which death has occurred.
Prior to the April 29, 2021 motor accident, there were two accidents, one of which led to the death of local journalist Obay Gibson a former staff at the Voice of Hope Radio in Pleebo City.
Journalist Obay Gibson died at the J.J. Dossen hospital a day when another motorcycle crushed into him while making a u-turn in Old Lady Town along the Harper Pleebo highway near the county commercial city Pleebo.
Ben Kouh, son of the deceased AG prelate in an interview described the death of his father as a big blow to the family and the entire town including Barrobo District by extension.
Ben further lamented that the death of his father is a serious setback for him amid plans to travel to Pleebo or Harper next academic year to acquire secondary education and that the deceased was to sponsor him fully as he has done over the years.
He said that the death of his father will calm down several instances in their lives including access to schools, cloths, and the maintenance of their current shelter amongst several others. He added that there’s no one in the family to take such responsibility and that the government or local and international donors should come to his aid. “I too want to become a future leader but with the loss of my father, I think my dream have ended” stated Ben.
Boye Blade driver of the pickup that had onboard 14 occupants has been arrested by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in the county and sent to court for trial in keeping with the vehicle and traffic law of Liberia.
Barrobo Statutory District is one of the remotest parts of Maryland County and hard to reach, with a total of 32 towns. The hard to reach district alsoform the boundaries between Maryland and River Gee Countieson one hand and Grand Kru County on the other hand.
Residents of the district survive through subsistence farming and a small number of them are involved in mining.
The vehicle according to report was returning from the district on a COVID-19 food distribution work.
Pastor Kouh had resided in Sawtoken #2 for over four years since his assignment as head pastor of the First Assembly of God Church Sawtoken #2 branch.
Speaking in an interview, LNP chief of traffic in Maryland, Oscar Collins said the driver has been forwarded to court for trial in keeping with the vehicle and traffic law of Liberia.
“Motorcyclists and drivers as well as pedestrians should be careful in using the road to save their lives and that of others. Please do not take advantage of the road because you see it paved” he cautioned.
Officer Collins said the vehicle had onboard 14 occupants but there was no casualty reported though the pickup somersaulted and was seen along the road side.