A farmer who allegedly killed journalist Chris David Brown in Bong County, suspect Henry Tucker has been arrested by police, with preliminary police report saying the accused confessed using his single barrel gun to shoot the victim when the deceased visited his farm to steal his goats.
The Inspector General of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Col. Patrick T. Sudue explained Tuesday, 3 November in Monrovia that police collected the call log of the late journalist Chris David Brown and they found out that there were 52 calls between the victim and the killer between Wednesday and the day of the incident, Thursday, 29 October.
Col. Sudue accompanied at the press conference by Information Minister LedgerhoodRennie and Press Union of Liberia (PUL) President Charles Cuffey explains that police ran the number of alleged notorious criminal Prince Garlawulo, and with citizens’ help, they apprehended him.
According to Col. Sudue, Prince revealed that the owner of the Tucker Farm, suspect Henry Tucker discharged the fire arm, an information that he says led to Tucker’s arrest and his subsequent alleged admission to shooting victim Brown.
“And based upon information again from the same community, from our people, we were able to establish a link between the deceased and the arrested criminal Prince Garlawulo and a lady by the name of Geeta Bryant who owns and operates a restaurant in Bong County,” Col. Sudue explains.
Reading the police statement earlier, Moses Carter says journalist Chris David Brown, a reporter of Radio Paraclete of Gbarnga City, Bong County, was allegedly shot dead on Thursday, 29 October and that suspect Tucker has been arrested in relation to the killing.
The police spokesman explains that victim Brown’s lifeless body was discovered lying in a creek mid-day on Saturday, 31 October around Tucker Town, Bong County on the road leading to Lofa County.
During police preliminary investigation, Carter notes that a 12 – man Coroner Juror was constituted to conduct an inquest or physical examination on the body and reported that the victim died as a result of a bullet wound from a single barrel gun.
“Suspect Henry Tucker, a farmer of the Tucker Community, Bong County was arrested late last evening, November 2, 2020 after a manhunt was declared for suspect Prince Garlawulo, a notorious robber in Bong County,” Carter says.
He continues that the alleged notorious robber Garlawulo speaking confirmed the shooting of his colleague, journalist Brown by suspect Henry Tucker.
“Suspect Garlawulo further informed Police investigators that he and the deceased journalist were usually in the business of stealing goats,” Carter reveals.
Additionally, he says suspect Garlawulo indicated that on several occasions, he and journalist Brown allegedly succeeded in stealing goats and selling them to a lady identified as Geeta Bryant.
Suspect Garlawulo allegedly told police investigators when he and the deceased journalist visited the farm of suspect Henry Tucker in order to steal goats, it led to the deceased journalist being shot dead with a single barrel gun.
Further, Carter explains that suspect Henry Tucker admitted to shooting journalist Chris David Brown, allegedly noting that his goats were always stolen by unknown persons. He says the suspect Tucker stated that on Thursday night, he saw two unidentified men who visited his farm to steal his goats.
He claims to have alarmed and discharged his single barrel gun when the two men were allegedly about to escape with his goats, leading to the death of the journalist.
According to Carter, Madam Geeta Bryan in conversation with police investigators confirmed regular interaction between her and the deceased journalist in the trade of goats. Meanwhile, Carter says suspects Prince Garlawulo and Henry Tucker are under police custody undergoing further investigation.
He says the single barrel gun used by suspect Henry Tucker has also been retrieved and is in police custody. He assures the public that those arrested will be duly charged and forwarded to court in order to face the full weight of the law.
Mr. Charles Cuffey, president of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) says the press union’s interest is to bring perpetrator to justice, noting that as the union did in the case of later journalist Tyron Brown, it has also collaborated with the state security including the police and those who were responsible were brought to justice.
“So we first want to hail the police and other security apparatus for ensuring that the suspects have been arrested,” Mr. Cuffey says, noting that once somebody is killed and nothing is done, it breeds tension.
He urges the media in Liberia, particularly those in Bong County to continue to work with the security sector in making sure that the right thing is done. Liberia’s Information Minister LedgerhoodRennie says government takes the matter very seriously, commending the police for their preliminary investigation.
Mr. Rennie notes that the government is not in the business of running behind its own citizens, assuring the media community that during these trying times, it assures media practitioners of fullest protection in the execution of their responsibility.
“You can go ahead and do your reportorial duties without fear or favor because the Government of Liberia will ensure, like every other citizen, the right to live without fear and favor and you are fully protected,” Mr. Rennie notes. By Winston W. Parley
