-Police arrest two persons
By P. Clarence Jackson, latifahkpah172@gmail.com
Gbarnga, Liberia -Police in Liberia’s central Bong County have arrested two more persons in connection with the gruesome killing of a 17-year-old girl, whose naked body was discovered ib Gbartala Town, Yellequelleh district, Bong County, which is 169km from Monrovia.
The incident occured Sunday night, September 16, 2018 at the Commissioner’s Compound where the 17-year-old Satta Benda and others had gone to attend a traditional feast.
Mr. Amos Sulunteh and Madam Mary Jukollie were arrested Monday, after the deceased’s friend identified as Josephine who was arrested earlier told the Police that she, Amos, Mary and others had allegedly planned to kill Satta.
Josephine is said to have confessed early Monday morning when the people of Gbartala took to the streets to protest in demand of justice.
She (Josephine) had earlier said she left Satta with an unknown man who sent her to call her friend lecturing and went home during the night of the feast.
“One man was calling my friend over and again and she did not want to go, so I later carried her to talk to the man, and left two of them lecturing and went home,” Josephine told Police Preliminary Investigation when she was earlier arrested.
A 15-man coronal Jury set up to examine the body later established that Satta was raped to death.
On local radio talk shows in Bong County early Monday morning, locals in the area phoned-in to condemn the act against the girl.
The locals are calling on justice actors to punish alleged perpetrators as a way of deterring would-be perpetrators of similar crime against humanity.
“We are troubled about these disturbing news emerging every time from Bong County, the perpetrators must pay for their actions”. This is bad and frightening to the wellbeing of everyone here which would also drive investors away,” some locals asserted.
The citizens said gruesome killings are common in the county nowadays; referencing Angeline Kolleh who was terribly murdered in cold blood in the Sugar Hill community, Gbarnga-Bong County as one of the most recent cases amongst others.
Other locals are however appealing to their lawmakers to enact laws that would recommend punishable ways for people who are always involved in these acts as means of deterring them from committing such crimes.
“We have a law on the book that says, “Killers should be killed” but it is not working due to “human rights treaty Liberia has signed with international community.” Our lawmakers must act now.
Josephine and the two others have since been transferred to Gbarnga for further investitagion
In a related development, an adolescent male, Philip Sumo commonly known as “Ker-men,” has allegedly committed suicide after reportedly admitting to stealing Eight Thousand Five Hundred Liberian Dollars from his aunty.
Suicide is the intentional killing of oneself.
The 17-year-old was found hanging in his bed room early Monday morning, September 17, 2018 ahead of discussions on how he would have paid back the stolen money.
The incident took place in Laybay-yea, along the Dementa Road near the provincial city of Gbarnga.
Little Philip Sumo
In this case, a 15-man coronal jury set up to examine the body established that there was no foul played in connection to his death.
Our www.newspublictrust.com Reporter, who visited the scene of the incident, said news of “Ker-men’s” death has sent a shocking wave of sorrow describing the situation as a tragedy.
Family sources said prior to his death, the late Philip Sumo commonly known as “Ker-men” had long since dropped out of school in demand of going to a garage to learn mechanism.
“We sent the boy to school but he left and said he wanted to be a Mechanic. We sent him to one of the garages in Gbarnga but later ran away and was just roaming about here until he stole his aunt’s money which eventually led to his death”. Family members added.
Appearing frustrated after the Jury examined the body, some family members stated that “maybe it was the time for him to die”. “We only pray to God to pardon him for his wrongdoing”.
Meanwhile, the body of the boy has now been turned over to the family for burial.