Horror in Duazon

Residents in Duazon, Margibi County woke up Thursday morning to a horrible scene of unconscious family locked inside a shop also being used as home with one member allegedly dead.
Though residents said there was neither an armed robbery attack nor a fire incident on the Nigerian residents’ house, they however said an ongoing search for an 18-year-old lad, Dominic, son of the victimized family.

According to some residents, the late Dominic had allegedly surfaced a few days ago after escaping with his mother Ma Tetee’s $55,000.00 a couple of weeks ago.Police backed by officers of the Armed Forces of Liberia or AFL from the EBK Barracks along the Robertsfield highway were immediately deployed on the scene crowded by onlookers Thursday morning.

Securities on the scene could not speak to claims of death except that they confirmed that the family was found unconscious in the house. But there were also claims by residents that the victims’ mother only identified as Ma Tetee was dead.

According to Patience Massaquoi, a daughter of a family from whom the Nigerians were renting, she had not seen Dominic for a couple of weeks after his mother; Ma Tetee complained that he took $55,000.00 which she said belongs to Beer Factory for drinks supplied.

“But I spotted him the day before yesterday. The factory supplies her and collects the money during the weekends. Since the money got missing, they said Dominic left the house and got outside, and was only spotted the day before yesterday.

And before then, he wrote a letter and the mom brought the letter to me, telling her (mom) in the letter that oh mom, your will miss me; I’m going to jump into the sea water, if your don’t see me, by God’s will I will be back,” Patience narrated.

She continued that Wednesday night, March 26, she left her business center, near the building around 2am and went to bed. Earlier, Patience said Ma Tetee with her two grandchildren and her bigger daughter called her around 12 to 1am.

Prior to going to bed, Patience Massaquoi narrated that she heard Ma Tetee talking inside the house, but did not know whether it was on the phone. Having expressed concern about Ma Tetee’s talk to her fiancé, Patience said she packed her goods around 2m to 3am, and went to bed.

At 5am on Thursday, March 27, Patience said they woke up from bed and a neighbor who she said is a driver, had come to Ma Tetee to collect his battery and report money he had left with her, but Ma Tetee could not open the door.

“He kept his battery and his report money with her; he tried knocking the door but she did not wake up. So he called me, so my mom and everybody came; we beat on the door and yet they could not wake up,” said Patience.

Following that, she said she called the Representative of that District Mr. Cooper, who came and sought police advice. At about 10:30 am Thursday, the matter was taken to the Police Commander for the RIA Police Station. On the police order, she said a welder was called to open the door and took three of the family members from inside unconscious – two little children and the bigger girl and rushed them to a clinic.

“And the grandmother, they said she’s dead. Some people said she was injured, because I came and I hid my face, some people said she had stains of blood. I saw the little grandchild, Paul when they brought him outside, he had a knife in his hand. Paul is about six or seven years old,” Patience narrated.

“There was no armed robbery attack here. First of all they are five in number, the brother they called Dominic we haven’t got him yet. The people want to search in there, but they are afraid. They are awaiting reinforcement from Monrovia,” she further said.

Rachel, one of Ma Tetee’s older daughters, who said she resides in Monrovia, said her mother was not sick. She said their small brother Dominic, 18, took their money and ran away and had not been seen for two weeks. Narrating in tears, Rachel said her family was operating a provision shop, but Dominic was not the one manning the shop.  After the money got missing, Rachel said her mother had called her to inform her that Dominic stole their money.

Meanwhile, the police commander for Depot five Phillip Nimely, along the RIA said at 11am on Thursday, the police received report of the incident. Mr. Nimely said with an AFL backup team from the EBK Barracks, they proceeded on the scene and could not get a word from in the house. As such, they used a welding machine with the assistance of family members of those that were in the house and they made their way in.

He when they got in, they saw everyone in the house unconscious and immediately rushed them to a nearby clinic. The victims were identified as 65-year-old Ma Tetee, a Nigerian, along with her children – small Tetee, 10, Paul, 8, with Patience, 30, respectively.