–But pleads not guilty as state prosecution first set of witnesses testify
By Garmah Never Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
SANNIQUELLIE, Liberia
A 77-year-old rape and murder suspect identified as Josiah Karwon has pleaded not guilty in open court at the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie City, Nimba County.
Indicted by the Grand Jury of Nimba County, Karwon was also charged with the crimes of Kidnapping and appeared in court last weekend.
In January of this year, an eleven-year-old girl was raped and murdered in Buah town, Saclepea, Nimba County after she has gone to wash at a nearby creek.
Her remains were later discovered buried in a mud. And immediately, a 15-member special jury of inquest was set up to examine the body, it was observed that she was raped and murdered.
The 77-year-old man was subsequently arrested on his farm and is now taken to Saclepea for further investigation.
The deceased, Veroline Lougon after been raped and murdered she was secretly buried in a mud with her foot left out by the alleged perpetrator who was found sitting on the crime scene with shovel, digger, cutlass and touchlight.
However, state prosecution headed Hector Quoigoah produced seven witnesses upon which three took the witness stand to testify on behalf of the state.
State prosecution first set of witnesses who testified on behalf of the state are Ophelia Morris, Yah Morris and Junior S.K. Kwaboseh to be followed by the remaining four this week.
Prosecution first witness, Ophelia Morris testified in the local Mano language. But it was interpreted in English by the Sheriff of the court.
Ms. Morris said the deceased was staying with her as her little sister but sent to go wash her baby diaper on January 14, 2009 at about 8 am, but could be seen after a while, something that drew her attention triggering a search for the victim.
Witness Morris testified that when she went in search of the victim to the creek, she called the victim so many times, but she could not answer, thus creating fear in her. A message was later sent to her mother on the farm, inquiring whether the deceased went there to her. But her mother came to the town and told them that the child was not there with her.
According to Ophelia, she and her mother went to the creek and met defendant Karwon sitting with his clothes muddy holding a shovel, cutlass, digger and touchlight. When deceased girl’s mother asked whether he saw her daughter at the creek, the man responded by saying: “Is it time like this you can look for your daughter? But you will not see her again.”
Testifying in open court, Madam Morris said after such startling statement made by the defendant, both she and Ophelia went to town crying and informed others about what had occurred at the creek. And immediately, the inhabitants convened an emergency meeting to go in search of the missing.
The witness was cross-examined by the public defender of Nimba County, Tarlo Wehyee, as the court and jurors were later discharged by the court.
State Prosecution’s second witness, Yah Morris who also testified in Mano.
According to the Sheriff’s interpretation, she gave similar account of the situation as Ophelia Morris. She said when they got at the creek, they met defendant Karwon sitting with shovel, digger, cutlass and touchlight with his entire clothes muddy.
She told the court and jurors that when they met defendant Karwon, he was questioned by them as to whether he saw their daughter but he responded saying the same thing he told the victim’s mother.
The Prosecution’s second witness was also cross-examined by the public defender, Cllr. Tarlo Wehyee and later discharged.
Finally, the State’s third witness of the day took the stand, Junior S.K. Kwaboseh, who testified in open court that when victim’s family members informed about the tragic situation, as one of heads of the community watch forum.
He told community men to ring their emergency bell in the town for all men to assemble at his house for an emergency meeting.
Witness Kwaboseh narrated that the meeting was called for all men to assemble to go in search of the missing girl. It was to also know all the men who were present in the town, but the defendant was absent.
According to Kwaboseh, after a while the defendant came from the direction where the child has gone missing with his muddy clothes asking that the witness gave him liquor, something he refused to do.
Witness Kwaboseh further testified that he asked the defendants to use his tools but the defendant resisted that he was going back on his farm to do some work with his tools. And the men and some officers of the Liberia National Police went to the creek in search of the missing girl following the next day.
She was later discovered buried in the mud with foot upside down and the defendant was still not in the town.