By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- In a preliminary examination requested by defendant Patrick Kollie, an agent of President Weah’s Executive Protection Agency (EPS) who early this month shot and killed a civilian in the Paynesville suburb of Monrovia, state prosecutors’ first witness today, Monday, July 18, 2022 produced their first witness.
Shortly after the fatal shooting incident, defendant Kollie was arrested, informed of his constitutional rights, investigated and subsequently charged with the crime of murder for purposely, knowingly and recklessly shooting behind alleged criminals that were escaping from him, thus manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.
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State prosecutors’ first witness Paul Leayon has now taken the witness at the Monrovia City Court.
He said that on July 3,2022, he along with the victim, Valentine Johnson as well as two females, went to celebrate a birthday of Valentine’s friend at the Jessie Bar in Neezoe where they spent a little time and later left at about 11-12pm GMT.
According to him, when they reached 72nd junction, some friends on a motorbike said they should take the Redlight route, but they were afraid of being harm by criminals while others said they should go by means of 72nd. But eventually, they all agreed to go through the Police Academy community and he was the bike rider.
Witness Leayon testified that when they arrived at police Academy junction, they saw a white car parked and a discussion was going. As they were getting close, he said he heard from some unknown individuals that it was gun he was having. Therefore, people began to run in different directions as they get close to the park vehicle.
In the wake of this development, state prosecutors’ first witness said defendant Patrick Kollie disembarked the car, took a gun and began shooting in their direction, where the bullet missed his ear and hit his friend, Valentine Johnson in his head. That bullet left him bleeding profusely, but the shooter got on his vehicle and began running with excessive speed, the witness told the court.
He explained that he later left Valentine along with the rest of his friends to chase after the vehicle but he couldn’t get close to the EPS officer’s car due to the excessive speed it was on.
After chasing the vehicle in the 72nd junction direction, witness Leayon said he got to the Ghana chop bar on the SKD Boulevard and asked some residents who were still out whether they saw a white car passing by them and resident said yes. But the bystander said the car passed with excessive speed and they were looking behind the vehicle and wondering what had happened and that was how he narrated what had happened.
Upon his return to the crime scene, the witness said he met police and other residents already on the scene. His friend Valentine Johnson had already died and off they went to the zone three police station. The next day statements were taken from them and they were transferred to the Liberia National Police headquarters on Capitol Hill.
At the police headquarters, Witness Leayon said he heard that the defendant was arrested and taken to there.