Dead bodies’ clothes put on sale in Ganta

Criminals in Liberia have gone all out in plying their trade, with even the dead not being spared, as they break into graves and rob corpses of their belongings and put them on sale.

By Thomas Domah, Nimba County

Ganta City, Liberia, March 20, 2024 – More than 20 graves have been looted at various cemeteries in Ganta City and adjacent areas in Nimba County.

Items looted from various vaults, including shoes and clothes, are being sold in the local market in Ganta and on various streets.

Family members had gone to various burial sites on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, which was officially observed as National Decoration Day, to clean graves of dead relatives, especially along the Ganta – Saclepea Highway when they were greeted with shock and frustrations, after observing that corpses had been removed from the caskets in which they were interred, leaving behind empty tombs.

The NEW DAWN gathered that most of the dead bodies’ materials looted by criminals are being sold in community markets in Ganta.

There have been no arrest made since the incident occurred.

Esther Whyee and Samuel Bartuah, who had gone to show respect to their dead relatives, stood in disbelief when they saw the various graves burst open.

Speaking to citizens, Ganta Police Superintendent Archie Dennis vowed to go after criminals, locally referred to as zogos, who are involved in looting dead bodies’ materials, including bones, and smoking them as drugs.

Commander Dennis pledged alongside his officers to continue to make Ganta City crimes freed and foster a good relationship with residents of the commercial city.

The acting mayor of Ganta, Africanus Dolo, confirmed the looting of cemeteries but told reporters that he had paid more young people to help clean the facility.

He said following the incident, he met with zogos in Ganta and warned them to keep away from grave sites, as people have been deployed to keep those areas tidy and safe.

The Acting Mayor noted residents of Ganta have been living in the city for over 30 years without complaints of dead relatives’ graves being looted. Their bodies are desecrated, but rather, this is a behavior from Monrovia that has been introduced in the provincial city by criminals and drug users, something he promised the city government would not condone.