PHOTO: Defendant police officer Jerome Tokpah (right) being ecorted from the court to prison
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- The Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice headed by Megistrate Ben Barco on Tuesday May 21 2024 sent to prison defendant Jerome Tokpah of the Liberia National Police to the Monrovia Central Perison for allegedly attempting to murder a woman.
Defendant Jerome Tokpah who is said to be an officer of the Liberia National Police (LNP) was charged by Investigators of the LNP after he allegedly committed attempt murder against victims Courage Tarr a resident of Caldwell Township.
According to the police Charge Sheet, preliminary investigation conducted to establish fact and circumstances which led to victim Courage Tarr scuffle and injuries sustained by Defendant Jerome Tokpah, was revealed that Mr. Eric Tarr acquired one lot of land in the Caldwell Township Taylor Major community, Montserrado County, which contained two houses where he and his family live, while defendant Jerome Tokpah of LNP officer sharing coner stone with Mr. Eric Tarr is believed to also have one lot of land that contain two houses on it as well, which he and his family also live.
The LNP Investigation uncovered added that on Saturday morning, May 11, 2024, while Mr. Eric Tarr was in his yard doing some cleaning up defendant Jerome Tokpah LNP officer was also in his yard brushing when he saw Mr. Eric Tarr cleaning up his place, he started singing song (Rebel in town, Zogo in town), and moving toward Mr. Eric Tarr, attempted assaulting him with his whipper blade on the back of his neck, at which time Mr. Eric Tarr’s daughter Courage Tarr who saw the mood of defendant Jerome Tokpah coming toward her father Mr. Tarr, she pushed him aside preventing defendant Jerome Tokpan from wounding her father.
The LNP Charged noted that in the process Defendant Tokpah assaulted victim Courage Tarr on her forehead with the whipper blade he had in his hand which resulted to the victim sustained seriously bodily injury.
The investigation further revealed that defendant Tokpah who is an LNP officer and Mr. Eric Tarr have been having some dispute over Land issue for more than a year. The finding of the LNP Investigators Reports from the Charged Sheet:
“Having thoroughly assessed the crime scene, physically examined the injuries sustained by victim Courage Tarr the various testimonies from Interviews conducted, the investigation has established the following facts to wit” That, the crimes of Aggravated assault and Criminal attempt to commit Murder was committed against victims Courage Tarr when defendant Jerome Tokpah had gone to attacked Mr. Eric Tarr while he was cleaning up his yard on Saturday morning May 11, 2024 @ 7am.
That, on Saturday May 11, 2024 defendant Jerome Tokpah with the intention execute his criminal actions on Mr. Eric Tarr instead assaulted victim Courage Tarr daughter of Mr. Eric Tarr who tried preventing her father Mr. Eric Tarr being wounded by defendant Jerome Tokpah.
That, after the commission of the act, defendant Jerome Tokpah ran in his house when he came out of his house he was bleeding from his head alleging that he was assaulted by victim’s Courage Tarr father Mr. Eric Tarr. That, the allegation made by defendant Jerome Tokpah against victim’s father Mr. Eric Tarr of attacking him was false and misleading.
However, the LNP Investigators charged officer Jerome Tokpah with the crime of Criminal Attempt to Murder.
“In view of the foregoing facts and circumstances coupled with pictorial and physical evidence produced, as well as witnesses’ testimonies the investigation has resolved to charge Defendant Jerome Tokpah with the crimes Criminal attempt to commit Murder and Aggravated Assault in contravention of chapters 10 sections 10.1 in violation chapter 14; sections 14.20 of the revised penal code to be forwarded to court for prosecution.”