PHOTO: Moses Mlarmah and James Kollie, alias “Depree”
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
ZWEDRU, Liberia- The main killer of the German National in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County James Kollie, alias “Depree” along with six other inmates have escaped from the maximum security prison in the south, the National Correction Palace.
Reports say they broke jail over the weekend (on October 29,2022).
On January 22, 2020, the German man, Juergen Schedema was shot during an armed robbery attack at his logging compound in Big Joe Town near the port city of Buchanan.
Killers Of German National Sentenced To 35 Years Imprisonment In Liberia – News Public Trust
Slain German, Juergen Schedema
James Kollie along with Joe Cole and Emmanuel Kollie alias porleh were in early January 2022 sentenced to 35 years for shooting a German National, an official of a logging company in Grand Bassa County.
For Moses Mlarmah, he was convicted and sentenced to 47years in June 2022 for killing a motorcyclist In Maryland County was among those who broke jail, but he was rear rearrested while James Kollie and the five others are still at large.
According to the Prison Superintendent Flomo Johnson, there was no food shortage at the prison as being reported by the media because food was already.
Superintendent Johnson said the action led by James Kollie alias depree was an organized plan involving some prison officers.
Mr. Johnson maintained that James Kollie, alias “Depree” was the range leader who organized and executed the jail break at the maximum prison in Zwedru.
Superintendent Johnson added that when they got the Intelligence of the organized jail break, they immediately started deployment of police support unit (PSU) who are already assigned at the prison facility. But the deployment was done at the outside perimeter of prison.
The inmates were seen climbing on a tower within the fence to escape when PSU officers told them that if they tried it, they will kill them. And based upon that statement, they used the back of the fence to climb the wall where there was not PSU officers deployed.
The jail break occurred between 1:50-2:15Pm where prison officers were on duty and all the prison gates were in tight without being tempered with.
While convict James Kollie was in prison at the Zwedru correction palace, he managed to get a valid passport and he usually influenced prison officers with money through mobile money to facilitate his escape.
The convict James Kollie again escaped jail in 2014 at the Monrovia Central prison for an alleged armed robbery.
It can be recalled on December 17,2021, James Kollie alias depree loudly told prison officers at the Kakata central prison that he could break jail and release everyone after he was caught sending money to one of the prison officers through mobile money to facilitate his escape which didn’t materialize and the prison officers whose name wasn’t disclosed was suspended.
Based upon his constant threat and his refusal to enter the cell at the Kakata center prison, led to his transfer at the Zwedru Correction palace.
Meanwhile, Prison Superintendent Johnson said investigation are currently ongoing as to circumstances that led to the jail break.
Those who broke jail are Daniel Clement convicted of Raped and sentenced to life imprisonment in Bong County.
Jackson Sulokolo convicted of murder, armed robbery and criminal conspiracy and sentenced to 25 years in Bong County.
James Kollie was convicted of murder and criminal conspiracy and sentenced to 35 in Kakata, Margibi County.
Lawrence Robinson convicted of Armed robbery, criminal conspiracy and aiding consummation of the crime and sentenced to 20 years.
Francis Nyumah was convicted of Armed robbery, theft of property and criminal conspiracy sentenced to 25 years.