PHOTO: L-R. Suspect behind bars, examination of the corpse
Police in Barclayville, Grand Kru County have arrested and detain Philip Sonpso believed to be the main suspect, who allegedly tortured and killed a 65- year-old woman known as Patricia Juah and buried her over alleged witchcraft allegation in the Pinicess.
Suspect Sonpso was invited to attend a CDC primary as a delegate in the Capital City of Grand Kru County Barclayville where he was arrested by police authories and currently undergoing investigation.
A CDC primary that was won by Senator Peter S. Coleman on white ballot.
Reports say after he was arrested, some authorities of the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change was demanding the release of the alleged suspect and threatened to remove the County Police Commander, if he failed to release the suspect.
In a conversation with www.newspublictrust.com over the weekend, a senior official in the Joint Security headed by the Justice Ministry expressed frustration over “the constant habit” of some officials of government to “always obstruct justice”.
It has been observed that most often officials of government are in the constant habit of obstructing Justice whenever it involved their partisan.
On May 3, 2020 in Gbeta, Grand Kru County police arrested four persons, and charged them with multiple crimes. They were later forwarded to the Barclayville Magisterial Court for prosecution.
The four men were charged with murder, aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit murder, kidnapping, criminal conspiracy, among other offenses.
Those who were earlier arrested are Lawrence Teah Doe, 32; Paramount Chief Nagbe Wesseh, 55; Koffa Fannieh, 26 and Disxon Fannieh, age 26.
During Police investigations, Josephine Bartu, Patricial Juah, Isaac
Weah and Comfort Wiah were escorted to a remote Island called River Jolog based on a claim by the Youth of Gbeta Administrative district in Pinicss that the young people were dying too much, following the death of a 25-year-old man. The man was identified as Handful, who fell sick of severe malaria and later died in Solobu on Sunday April 26, 2020.
The Police charge sheet is quoting as saying that when the young people were escorting the corpse for a befitting burial, Handful’s coffin allegedly hit two houses in the area. The youths alleged that the owners of the two houses hit by the coffin were responsible for the death of their kinsman.
The Police investigation revealed that after the burial ceremony, the youth headed by its President Lawrence Teah Doe came back and took Comfort Wleh and other across River Jologbe about 10 mile away from the town.
They were said to have tied her and beat on her to death, while the others received severe flogging, resulting to serious bodily injuries but surfaced in the community alive. Other in connection to the crime are reportedly at large.
“Only we the young people dying in the in Pinicess for what reason, we have Reported the situation to local authorities, nothing have been done, so we the youth of the community decided to revenge,” said Lawrence Teah Doe, Youth leader.
Mr. Doe admitted during police probe that they were responsible for the death of Patricia Juah.
The incident occurred recently over a weekend in Pinicss Administrative district. Meanwhile, the matter has been transferred to Maryland County, where the Defendants will face trial. Report by Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com