PHOTO: Eliza Robert found after fear of her whereabouts
By Charles Gbayor, maorethason1997@gmail.com
HARPER, Liberia- A woman in her 50s, Eliza Robert, who reportedly went missing in the southeastern Maryland County, has been found alive.
This area is situated some 381kilometers from Monrovia.
Her disappearance since September 4, 2021 from Wlowien town sparked fear and concern among locals about her fate, but has just emerged that she had spent the last two weeks in the bush.
Although locals are relieved that she has finally been discovered, Police in the area are still probing four persons for their alleged role in Madam Robert’s recent disappearance.
Narrating her situation, the woman said on Saturday, September 4, 2021, she went out door at about 4:30 am to urinate, but after urinating, she never knew what led her into the bush.
According to the woman, she could not imagine herself moving into the bush at that early morning hour.
“My people, during that early hour, I came out to urinate but after urinating I started seeing myself going in the bush never knew what was leading me that early morning hour,” Madam Robert explained.
She added: “I didn’t see anyone, I couldn’t even remember the road leading to town neither to hear voices of people from town because everything left my mind.”
For the past six days she spent in the bush, she had not eaten but only survived drinking water droplets from leaves during rainfall, which sustained her for the past two weeks.
“I can’t even remember the number of days I have spent in the bush because all has lost from my mind now.”
Ma Eliza Roberts says the entire experience was like a dream.
“But on Saturday, 18th September 2021, I began to develop little strength and I started walking around and later found a road while coming out, I heard a car sound.
“I don’t know where the little strength came from but what I imagined was for me to wake up that early Saturday morning and started walking around in the bush until I found myself on the main road between Grand Kru and Maryland before I was seen by my town people who brought me in town,” said the woman who went mission for two weeks concluded.
Karluway Statutory District Superintendent Solomon Johnny has described the situation as regretful, when residents informed him that Mr. Koffa Roberts, the husband of Eliza left his wife in the town and went to the farm with the intent that she would have prepared the home for Sunday’s activities.
But upon his return, he didn’t see her so he alarmed, which prompted elders of the town to sound the traditional drum, claiming everyone’s attention.
Background
Supt. Johnny said that after receiving the news, he along with other local officials quickly invited the Crime Service Division (CSD) of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in Maryland County to look into the matter. And during the preliminary investigation, four suspects were linked to the mysterious disappearance of Madam Eliza Roberts in Wlowien, Tuo-ou Chiefdomt.
He named the four suspects as Wlowien Town Chief George Gbolugba and three others identified as Isaac Nyemah, Anthony Hoto, and Solomon Jallah. They were turned over to the Police on Tuesday, September 14 by the district authority for further investigation while the search continued for the woman.
The district superintendent said that during the search, residents of Wlowien and nearby towns suspended farming activities, spending days and nights patrolling the bushes in search of Oldma Eliza Roberts.
The district superintendent adds that Suspect Gbolugba and his alleged accomplices including Solomon Jallah, who denied his involvement, but claims to have seen them in witch form, carrying on rituals, are currently in police custody in Pleebo for their refusal initially to produce the woman.
Though Supt. Johnny lauds tribal authority for handling the case in a civil manner, he described the incident as terrifying, shameful and regrettable, saying to have such news coming from his district, especially when calm had just been restored in the county following street protests for the murder of Mordecia Nyemah, a motorcyclist and senior student of the Pleebo High School in Maryland County.
He said that the four suspects admitted publicly, without torture and intimidation, of leading the women into the bush, but later refused to call her from the bush thru the spirit realm.
“While they were making their way in the bush in search of the lady, an argument broke out between Anthony Hoto and Isaac Nyemah, accusing each other,” he recalled.
Meanwhile, residents of the town, including the district superintendent and his team of officials have thanked Almighty God for finding the 50-year-old woman alive, while Police probe the suspects for their alleged role in her disappearance.