-Death of a man allegedly poisoned in palm wine triggers mob justice
By Tokpa Tarnue– tarnue82@gmail.com
Calm has returned to Luyeama town in Zorzor district, close to the city of Voinjama in Lofa County, some 244 miles northwest of the Liberian capital, Monrovia over the weekend.
The end to the lawlessness followed several hours of lawlessness and mob justice, as an angry mob on May 17, 2019 reportedly beat to death a man, who is alleged to have poisoned a local drink of palm wine caused the death of another man.
The victim of the reported poison, Forkpa D. Gayflor who died on May 17, 2019 in Luyeama allegedly told family and friends before his death that he was poisoned by his friend, Mulbah Wolimme on Wednesday May 15 while they were together drinking palm wine.
Victim Gayflor had complained of experiencing serious stomach pain, while at the same time passing blood and crying in the name of Mulbah Wolimme. He repeatedly alleged that it was his friend Mulbah Wolimme, who poisoned the palm wine he drank before his death on May 17.
He was later pronounced dead after being rushed to the Luyeama health center for treatment.
The death news of Forkpa D. Gayflor quickly triggered the lynching of the alleged perpetrator Mulbah Wolimme, who out of fear ran to the town chief Mosses Tarnue for rescue.
Town Chief Tarnue indicated that his plan was to keep the alleged perpetrator until the arrival of state security forces. But the angry crowd over powered him and moved to the residence, from where the alleged perpetrator escaped from the town chief’s house into the bush with the crowd fiercely pursuing him and heating him to death.
The violent action by the angry citizens from Konia, which is the home town of the alleged perpetrator Mulbah Wolimme, caused citizens of Luyeama town especially women, child and the elderly to escape the town for fear of been harm.
Most of the women and children were forced to spend the night in the bushes and other surrounding towns and villages.
The two bodies were on May 18, 2019 turned over to both families for burial, following examinations by a team of health and security personnel.
Meanwhile, eight persons have already been arrested by police in connection with the mob violence and they are undergoing investigations to be charged and sent to court later.
The Lofa mob violence is the latest in a series of mob violence in various parts of Liberia in recent times, which have led to both loss of lives and properties.