Authorities Say He’s An Untrained Firearm Carrier
PHOTO: LDEA Agent Charles Joefula (middle in blue T-shirt) being escorted to jail
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia-The Monrovia City Court has sent to jail an untrained firearm carrier of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Charles Joefula.
Defendant Joefula was arrested on Wednesday, August 23, 2023 at his Zinc Camp residence in Logan, Town following the alleged killing of his girlfriend, Jonnete Smallwood.
City Court Judge Ben Barco took the decision to send the LDEA officer to the Monrovia Central Prison after Joefula made his court appearance.
According to police investigation, the incident occurred on August 21, when the LDEA officer, a resident of the Logan Town community, mistakenly fired a single-barrel Shotgun that led to the death of his Girlfriend Smallwood.
Police investigation detailed that, on that fateful evening, defendant Joefula after work went in search of his friend, identified as Moses Sumo, sitting with his spouse, Mama Weah at their usual entertainment center in the ZincCampCommunity in LoganTown, surburb of Monrovia, where they often met after working hours. While sitting, defendant Joefula place a call to his girlfriend victim Smallwood who was at a different location to come over for the purpose of amusement.
While they were seated at the spot, defendant Joefula who was in possession of a single-barrel Shotgun carelessly handled the weapon that fired and caused the death of victim Smallwood.
Police investigation noted that the two never had any prior arguments or confusion when the incident took place.
LNP investigation also revealed that Defendant Joefula who has no experience or training in the usage of Firearms, negligently caused the death of his Girlfriend.
Eyewitnesses recount that after he had shot the gun, was heard saying, ” I mistakenly killed my girlfriend”.
After being shot, victim Smallwood was immediately taken to a community clinic where she was transferred to the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.
For this reasons, the defendant was charged with the crimes of Manslaughter and the Possession of and Sale of Physical Objects for lethal use.
Under the constitution a person is guilty of manslaughter if he: Recklessly causes the death of another human being; or Causes the death of another human being under circumstances which would be murder except that he causes the death under the influence of extreme emotional disturbance for which there is reasonable excuse. And unlike murder, Manslaughter is second degree felony that requires a few years of prison sentence.
The act committed by the defendant violates Chapter 17, Section 17.11, and Chapter 14, Section 14. 2 of the Revised Penal Code of Liberia. He is remanded at the Monrovia central prison pending court trial.