A 34 year – old man Fasu Dakpanah is being detained at Monrovia’s maximum prison on police charges of murder and aggravated assault, on allegation that he dreadfully chopped his uncle Augustus Kolleh to death with a sharp cutlass and inflicted serious bodily injuries on several relatives.
Some family members of the victims who assembled outside the court broke down in tears uncontrollably as the accused was being taken to the Monrovia Central Prison for detention in a tricycle known here as keh-keh under court officers’ protection.
He allegedly committed the heinous crime on 30 April 2020 in Nicklay’s Town, a community in Paynesville, Montserrado County and was arrested by police the next day, 31 April.
Police say the accused used the cutlass to wound his three nephews and a woman called Oldma Korpo Kolleh.
To establish how victim Augustus Kolleh died, the charge sheet says the Crime Services Division (CSD) of the Liberia National Police (LNP) conducted an investigation through which it was revealed how this tragedy commenced.
It says detailed inquiry and information revealed that in the early morning hours of 29 April at about 01:28 hours, defendant Dakpanah woke up and went to the deceased’s room, expressing his disappointment in the victim for allegedly bringing a group of people to kill the defendant.
That early morning, police say Dakpanah claimed that his uncle brought people who had surrounded “their house” with the intention of killing him (Dakpanah).
On the basis of his allegation against his uncle, police indicate that the accused vowed that he wouldn’t die alone, as he went ahead, picked up a cutlass and chopped his uncle on the head.
Victims Obediah, Henry and Lawrence heard the noise, according to the police, and they came out to their father’s rescue.
They attempted to stop Dakpanah from chopping their father when the accused went on the rampage and started to chop each of them, wounding them on various body parts before he escaped. He allegedly chopped Lawrence Kolleh on the wrist and neck; he chopped victim Korpo Kolleh on the mouth and in the right palm.
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Prior to killing his uncle, police established that the accused sometimes visited the late Augustus in Nicklay’s Town and passed the night there.
He had even spent some time in his uncle’s house with the rest of the family, prior to the incident, police add.
Police determine that on 29 April Dakpanah was spending time at his uncle’s house when he murdered the victim, adding that the accused admitted to chopping and killing his uncle, but blamed the act on the alleged work of the devil. The alleged criminal agency or murder weapon has been retrieved from defendant Dakpanah, police say.
By Winston W. Parley
