By Bockarie Musa
A Liberian lawmaker from Sinoe County Matthew Zarzar has been threatened with lawsuit for his claims against a one-time fighter in the Liberian civil war but now religious figure and evangelist, Joseph Milton Blahyii linking him to elections violence in southeastern Liberia.
Representative Zarzar, who got re-elected for a second six-year term in the October 10, 2017 elections, has since been in a war of words with the lawmaker making claims and counter claims.
The lawmaker recently alleged on a local radio station that former ULIMO-J ex-General “Butt Naked” (now a born again Christian) that Blajyii Orchestrated the post-election riot in Kamo Town in Sinoe County during the October polls.
In th in in which one person was killed, several wounded and thousands of dollars worth of properties destroyed.
The allegation has not gone down too well with Evangelist Blahyii, who many held in high esteem for his strict moral conduct and devotion to the maintenance of peace and tranquility since the end of the 14 years brutal civil war.
Speaking to this reporter in Monrovia recently, Blahyii vowed never to rest until Representative Zarzar is brought to justice for tarnishing his reputation.
According to him, his lawyer is working on modality for a formal lawsuit to be filed against the Sinoe Lawmaker to provide evidence to the court about the allegation made against him.
Evangelist Milton Blahyii, at onetime General in the Liberian civil war said he has since surrender himself to God with a promise to remain righteous and law abiding, as such he can never orchestrate violence against his fellow man.
The Evangelist emphasized that contrary to the claim, he was not in the county at the time of the incidence and therefore bears no responsibility for whatever transpired during the riot.
“I was only informed about the incidence by eye witnesses who called me from Kamo Town during the skirmishes as I was in Monrovia running after my private business, Evangelist Blahyii maintained.”
He instead quoted eyewitnesses who alleged that the political clashes broke out when Representative Matthew Zarzar led his supporters on a pre-victory celebration in Kamo’s Town which was considered the stronghold of his opponent, Rev. Kolo Saywon.
In an attempt by Rev. Saywon’s supporters to put a halt to the celebration, Zarzar’s supporters are said to have started throwing stones and destroying properties, Blahyii quoted eyewitnesses as saying.
The man of God lamented that he was shocked to learn later that he was the mastermind of the violent situation.
Violent clashes ensued on October 11, 2017, between supporters of two opposing candidates in the race for Sinoe County electoral district number 3, which resulted into the death of one person. Several others sustaining injuries.
Shortly following the incident, Representative Matthew Zarzar took the airwaves to accuse Evangelist Milton Blahyii and others of orchestrating the riot.