Murder trial delays in Gbarpolu

There is growing concerns in Gbarpolu County as to what has actually happened to the gruesome murder case of the late George Kamara, who was killed in March 2015 in the provincial village of Boloyala in Gbarpolu County by several individuals.

Eyewitnesses told our correspondent in the county that the deceased had initially gone to merit make with his colleagues in the village, but later did he know that he was to be killed by those friends who allegedly took him into the bush on the instructions of ringleader Beyan Korlubah to be punished by the country devil for allegedly violating traditional norms.

The eyewitnesses continued that instead of the country devil punishing the late George Kamara, Beyan Korlubah along with two others, Momo Kamara and Martin Garnoon reportedly tied the victim under a kitchen in the forest and severely tortured him, using cutlass and sticks.

This paper gathered that while the deceased was stay tied and profusely bleeding, Martin Garnoon took a big stick and smashed his head, resulting to his death.

It was also gathered that when the accused individuals discovered that the victim was dead, Martin again tied a rope on his (George’s) private parts and tied it to a nearby tree.

The rope, according to witnesses, was later loosed by a team of UNMIL and Liberia National Police officers, who went on the scene of the incident.

During investigation, the witnesses observed that Martin Garnoon informed the UNMIL and LNP investigators that he along with his two colleagues murdered the late George Kamara.

The witnesses further disclosed that after Kamara’s alleged murder death, Martin then invited the country devil and ordered all those in the village to go in door. They said the country devil later came, performed and left the village.

The witnesses disclosed that during the civil crisis, Martin Garnoon allegedly murdered his sister-in-law (not named) who was pregnant and took the fetus from her stomach in a village not too far from where Kamara was killed.

The three suspects have been detained at the Bopolu Central Prison, pending prosecution by the State represented by County Attorney Stephens Kerwilliams.

When contacted, Attorney Kerwilliams told our correspondent, that the State is sill gathering pieces of evidence, including witnesses to testify in the case without specifically saying when the trial will actually be placed on the court docket.

In a related development, 15 persons have been charged for murder and criminal facilitation by the Kungbor Magisterial Court in Kongba District, Gbarpolu County, for allegedly killing one Blama Kongo in Domamana Village.

Those reportedly arrested include, Foday Jallah, Henry T. Quie, Vesselle Yarkpawolo, Momo Varney, Sunnu-Boy Samah and Varney Massaquoi.
According to a document from the Stipendiary Magistrate of Kunbgor, Philip B. Lawson, Sr. to the clerk of the Sixteen Judicial Circuit Court, Joseph Y. Thomas, others wanted by the court include Vasco Arma, John Boima, Zinnah Boima, Abenego Younga, James Z. Demah, Junior Gayflor, Kpehe Kotlie, Otis Gardia and Otis Korto.

According to court document, several materials from the crime scene, including three singlebarrel gun shots, two empty gun hot shells, one hunting spear, a piece of stick and one M-1 riffle are in the possession of the Circuit Court. Editing by Jonathan Browne