60-year-oldman gets life sentence

The 12th Judicial Circuit Court in Grand Kru County sentences 60-year-old James Numene to life imprisonment after he was convicted for murder during its February term of court.

Defendant James Numene, Augustine Blay, and Francis Seekey on August 10, 2017 were linked to the death of a classroom teacher, who was also principal of the Putu Town Elementary School in Civilize Village in upper Jorah Statutory district. They extracted private parts of the deceased after hitting him with a stick at the back of his head, while leaving from his father- in-law village toward Civilize Village.

Accomplice Augustine Blay, in a separate trial, was convicted and sentenced for 10 years because of his admission to the commission of the crime along with the other two defendants.

During the court trial, a motion for separate trial was filed by the Public Defense Council ABC Bah, but was denied by presiding Judge Peter W. Gbenewleh.
Judge Gbenewleh describes the motion filed by the public defense as unnecessary.

Blay narrates that accomplice Francis Seekey told him that James Numene complained that the late Alfred S. Gray abandoned his daughter and previously wounded him , so he vowed to do everything to kill him.

Defendant Blay, 23, further explains in court that James Numene and Francis Seekey convinced him after they served him food to eat, because he was hungry. According to him, they also promised him US$10,000 and a motor bike if the mission was accomplished.

“My poor background and since I could not afford to get such amount, I finally agreed to accomplish their mission to murder the late Gray”, he confesses.
According to Resident Circuit Judge Peter W. Gbenewleh, considering the circumstances surrounding the case backed by evidences produced in court by the prosecution team, defendant James Numene is guilty of murder and is thereby sentenced for life.

In his final ruling last Thursday, 29 March the Judge disclosed that defendant James Numene will serve his life imprisonment at the Grand Kru prison or at any suitable prison facility in the Republic of Liberia.
Theo Nyan and Deborah Badio are among several persons, who spoke to the New Dawn in Barclayville after the ruling, lauded the LNP and other security apparatus and the court for bringing to light perpetrators behind their son’s murder, who they describe as someone was an asset to the community and the county at large.

By George K. Momo/ Grand Kru–Editing by Jonathan Browne