PHOTO: Cross section of women in Maryland County who gathered recently
By Charles Gbayor, maorethason1997@gmail.com
PHOTO: Cross section of women in Maryland County
HARPER, Liberia- Women in the southeastern Maryland County are threatening to boycott the upcoming elections in 2023, if they cannot get justice in the murder case of a commercial motorcylist and student in the city of Pleebo.
In 2021, Modecious Nyemah, a student of the Pleebo High School was allegedly chopped to death in by Suspect Moses Mlarmah allegedly for ritualistic purpose.
Addressing Reporters during a big gathering in Gbolobo on the outskirts of Pleebo in electoral District#2 recently, Madam Chris Walker, head of rural women in the County said, it’s worrisome though they received food packages, including rice, cow, drinks and cash, among other things from President George Manneh Weah as consolation over the death of their son, they “still want justice”.
Madam Walker explained that since the beginning of the case, she has made several follow-ups as head for the rural women, but her efforts have yielded no good result.
She disclosed that in December 2021, she visited the Office of President George Weah, the Ministry of Justice, and the Maryland County Legislative Caucus and presented formal communications, appealing for the hearing of the case.
But she says since those letters were served, only the Ministry of justice responded, while a senior official of Maryland County had promised to take her to the Office of the President, but the unnamed county official failed to do so.
Madam Welker stressed that though they accepted the President’s gifts of apology, it doesn’t mean they are going to forget about the late Modecious Nyemah case.
“Let me say this, it doesn’t mean since we have gathered to eat this cow, including other items that were given to us by the President then we are going to forget about the case; we’re still going to keep pursuing the case until justice is served,” the Maryland County women leader maintained.
Madam Walker also warned that if their cry for Justice is not addressed before 2023, they will boycott the pending presidential and general elections to draw the attention of international partners.
According to her, they elected the Weah administration to address issues of major concern and as women of Liberia specifically from Maryland County, they trusted President Weah.
But she said constant delay in the case of the late Modecious Nyemah has become a serious worry for them as women and mothers, who have paraded in the rain and the sun to seek justice.
Women protest
In March 2021, Madam Chris Walker led thousands of women from all sectors, parading from Pleebo to Harper City in demand of justice.
Their action, which also brought on board civil society actors, drew the attention of the Ministry of Justice that ordered Police to make several arrests after several arson attacks.
Local authority position
But since the burial of the victim that saw Maryland County Superintendent George A. Prowd applauding citizens for mass turnout and assuring family members of justice, not much has been done.
Superintendent Prowd promised at the time that the Government of Liberia is committed to protecting the lives of citizens and foreign residents while condemning ritualistic killings across the country.
According to him, there have been several death cases since he took office as Superintendent, but the case of the late Modecious Nyemah has drawn the attention of both citizens and the national government.
Superintendent Prowd recalled that in the late 70s, a similar situation occurred in the county that involved former Superintendent Allen Yancy and other high profile officials, who were tried, adjudged guilty and hung.
“When you reflect your minds back to Maryland Gboyo history, you will get to know that most of those people, who were involved in ritualistic killings by then, were mostly government officials. I remember, there was a superintendent in Maryland who was caught for ritualistic killing and was hanged and because of this, many citizens look at us as suspects of these current ritualistic acts that are happening in this county,” Superintendent Prowd lamented.
However, he expressed excitement that suspects have been arrested and placed behind bars, awaiting trial in connection to the murder of the late Modecious.
“We are too happy and thankful to God that one of the suspects, Moses, who was the first to be arrested, without threats or torture, he started calling names of people who are involved in the death of Modecious.”
Superintendent Prowd noted that in as many suspects are behind bar, there’s a strong case, and burial of the late Modecious doesn’t in any way end the case.
The Maryland County Superintendent cautioned citizens to remain law-abiding and assist government in the ongoing hearing rather than staging protests that could disrupt the county and shut down economic activities.
He said county authorities, including the Maryland Legislative Caucus, have received a series of letters from parents and other concerned groups about the case.