By Garmah Never Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
A group of wayward youths locally referred to as “Zogos” have gone on the rampage in largest commercial district of Redlight in the Paynesville suburb of the Liberian capital, Monrovia over the weekend, leading to bloodshed and destruction.
The stabbing to death of a man identified as Johnson Flomo to get his cell phone caused havoc in the crowded business district on Sunday, August 4, 2019.
On the eve of the July 26 Liberian Independence Day celebrations, Zogos in central Monrovia received 5,000 Liberian dollars each from the Liberian leader, President George Weah, something that triggered a wave of criticisms in some quarters, as people believed they would only use such funds to take drugs.
According to an eyewitnesses, the late Flomo was on his way to Church when desparate Zogos rushed on him and took away his phone away and he followed them for his phone at the Redlight, which is notorious for criminal activities.
Mr. Flomo is a resident of Johnville outside Monrovia and he was said to have been stabbed three times.
An eyewitness further said that after the zogos reportedly stabbed Flomo, angry mob ran after Zogos and killed three of them and most places where they can sleep in the small small market kitchen along the road.
Narrating further, the eyewitness explained that the Redlight angry mob went from one ghettos to another in Redlight and burned them and even went ahead harming any zogos that was seen in the Redlight area and its environs.
Some of the residents of Redlight have blamed resident George Weah’s decision to give LD$5,000.00 to each Zogo in central Monrovia and they also blamed the national Police for supporting the habit of zogos.
According to them, when residents being hurt by zogos and when the complaint been taken there, no drastic action can be taken against them.
The residents of Redlight vowed that as long as they are in Redlight, zogos will continue to be on the run and this time round they are not going to spare any zogos in the this area, because they have victimized so many citizens and go scot-free.
Mob violence or mob justice has grown from strength to strength over the years across Liberia.