PHOTO: Defendant Michael Winker
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
More and more homicide cases continue to come up in various parts of Liberia, as incidents of mob violence actions are rising by the day, with one of the latest victims being a young man, Uriah Solo who died after a fight involving knife and scissors.
Solo recently died from wound sustained in a tussle with two other men over delay in sewing his clothes.
Michael Winker, resident of the Kebah community in Bardnersville outside Monrovia has been sent to court by the Liberia National Police for allegedly murdering Solo.
Michael Winker and another man, Obediah Zayay were on July 19, 2022 involved in a tussle with Solo.
During Police investigation conducted at the crime scene against person unit, on Tuesday July 19th 2022, victim Uriah Solo and suspects Micheal Winker and Obediah Zayzay were engaged in a tussle over the complaint that Obediah Zayzay was delaying in sewing victim Uriah Soli’s clothes.
Investigation further established that the tussle between suspect Obediah Zayzay intensified to the extent that both of them had to take knife and scissors against one another to fight with.
The police investigation further established that during the fight, suspect Micheal Winker sustained wound in his right palm with an instrument believed to be a knife during the early morning hours of July 19,2022.
It was also revealed that when Justina Toe left and went into her house for the alcohol to rub same on suspect Michael Winter’s wound, she came and did not see victim Uriah Solo and suspect Obediah Zayzay on the scene, but later heard that victim Uriah Solo had been stabbed in the community.
Furthermore, the investigation also uncovered that victim Uriah Solo, suspects Michael Winker, and Obediah Zayzay who is at large, all live in an abandoned building owned by Obediah Zayzay’s family members who are unable to take proper care of the building.
Investigation also unearthed that after Victim Uriah Solo was being stabbed in the community by suspects Obediah Zayzay and Michael Winker angry crowd persuaded them but was able to have apprehended suspect Michael Winker and took him to zone four police station, while Obediah Zayzay escaped from the scene.
Investigation findings
According to police report, the defendant was arrested, informed of his constitutional rights, investigated and subsequently charged with the crime of Murder, for purposely, knowingly, and intentionally without regards to human life.
Defendant Winker’s crime is in violation of Chapter 14 section 14.1 of the revised Penal code of the republic of Liberia
The following below were established by the Police after thoroughly investigating the matter, the charge sheet says:
That a crime of Murder was committed.
That suspect Michael Winker while on the crime scene he was holding a blue handle kitchen with blood oozing from his hand.
That when witness Justina Toe observed that blood was oozing from suspect Michael Winker’s hand, he was advised not to fight and she was going in the room for alcohol to dress the wound.
Angry crowd ran after suspects Obediah Zayzay and Michael Winker and was able to have apprehended suspect Michael Winker while suspect Obediah Zayzay escaped and went into hiding.
That victim Uriah Solo was observed with three stabbed wounds on his left shoulder around the neck, behind his right hand and his left palm defensive while one defensive wound.